Issue Number 503            January 10, 2005

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

  1. Act soon: January 28 is the deadline for NIC's early-bird registration
  2. Coming soon: CDC's satellite broadcasts on Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
  3. Summer camp for kids with hepatitis--send for an application before January 31
  4. New: PKIDs launches listservs for kids with hepatitis C and B
  5. Update: CDC continues to supplement its website with information related to the influenza vaccine shortage
  6. NFID releases report on the epidemiology of meningococcal disease among U.S. children, teens, and young adults
  7. Register today for CDC's January 19 immunization net conference on varicella case-based reporting
  8. CDC and UNC sponsor a satellite broadcast/webcast on vaccine shortages on January 28
  9. Indiana State Department of health will hold its "Immunization from A to Z" course on January 28
  10. World Vaccine Congress set for April 18-20 in Montreal
  11. International Society of Travel Medicine plans conference for May 1-5 in Lisbon
  12. NFID to hold its 2005 Conference on Vaccine Research on May 9-11 in Baltimore
  13. CDC reports on malaria transmission in resort areas of the Dominican Republic in late 2004

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ABBREVIATIONS: AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; IAC, Immunization Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; NIP, National Immunization Program; VIS, Vaccine Information Statement; VPD, vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health Organization.
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January 10, 2005
ACT SOON: JANUARY 28 IS THE DEADLINE FOR NIC'S EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION

Scheduled for March 21-24 in Washington, DC, this year's National Immunization Conference (NIC) is a must-attend event. Register by January 28, and attend all four days for only $150.

The conference's primary goals are to help participants provide comprehensive immunization coverage for all age groups and to explore innovative strategies for developing programs, policy, and research that promote such coverage. Plenary sessions and workshops will include presentations on the following topics: childhood, adolescent, and adult immunization; vaccine safety; new vaccines and vaccine development; cultural diversity; policy and legislation; immunization registries; and more.

Opportunities for networking and socializing include the welcoming continental breakfast, Hilleman lecture and reception, daily fitness events, and lunch rounds. In addition, the exhibit hall and poster-viewing space will be open to attendees for two days.

For comprehensive information about the conference, including the draft conference agenda, online registration, and accommodation information, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/nic

For additional information, contact the conference planning team by phone at (404) 639-8225 or by email at NIPNIC@cdc.gov

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January 10, 2005
COMING SOON: CDC'S SATELLITE BROADCASTS ON EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PREVENTION OF VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES

Satellite broadcasts on the Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Disease are scheduled for four consecutive Thursdays: February 17 and 24, and March 3 and 10. The times have not been announced yet; each session will last 3.5 hours.

The broadcasts will give participants a comprehensive overview of the principles of vaccination, general recommendations, immunization strategies for providers, and specific information about vaccine-preventable diseases and the vaccines that prevent them. The course is intended for immunization providers such as physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physicians' assistants, Department of Defense paraprofessionals, medical students, and others.

Registrations are not being accepted yet. IAC EXPRESS will publicize registration information when it becomes available.

For information on the course textbook, slide sets, and other resources, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/_satellite_broadcasts.htm Click on the link titled Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases.
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January 10, 2005
SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS WITH HEPATITIS--SEND FOR AN APPLICATION BEFORE JANUARY 31

Children with hepatitis B or C will have a chance to attend camp this summer at two of the top U.S. medical camps, thanks to the national nonprofit organization PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases) and Paul Newman's Association of Hole In The Wall Gang Camps.

PKIDs, which supports families touched by viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, has acquired a number of slots for children with chronic hepatitis B or C at camps in upstate New York (Double "H" Hole in the Woods Ranch in Lake Luzerne) and Florida (Boggy Creek Gang Camp in Eustis). The camps specialize in providing a fun, traditional summer camp experience for children and teens with medical needs.

Children must be between the ages of 6 and 16 and must be receiving medical treatment of any kind. PKIDs and the camps will pay travel and camp costs for qualified children--the families pay nothing. Any parent, caretaker, physician, or health care worker interested in sending a child to either camp should contact PKIDs for an application BEFORE JANUARY 31. Contact PKIDs by email at pkids@pkids.org or by phone at (877) 557-5437.

PKIDs is also seeking donations to help pay the costs of sending children to the two camps. If you are interested in sponsoring a child at camp, please email or call PKIDs at the email address or phone number above.

For more information, call PKIDs at (360) 695-0293 or go to http://www.pkids.org

To visit the website of the Double "H" Hole in the Woods Ranch, go to:
http://www.doublehranch.org

To visit the website of the Boggy Creek Gang Camp, go to:
http://www.boggycreek.org
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January 10, 2005
NEW: PKIDS LAUNCHES LISTSERVS FOR KIDS WITH HEPATITIS C AND B

Thanks to PKIDs, children and teens living with hepatitis C or B now have their own Internet listservs, giving them a chance to "talk" with other infected youth from around the United States and the world. The two listservs, one for children ages 8 to 12 and one for teens ages 13 to 19, are designed to allow youth the freedom to speak from their hearts. To help ensure a safe environment, the lists are moderated and there are no identifiers for those posting to the lists.

PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases) is a national nonprofit organization serving families of children infected with chronic viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

To access the listservs, go to: http://www.pkids.org/listserv.htm and click on the appropriate link.
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January 10, 2005
UPDATE: CDC CONTINUES TO SUPPLEMENT ITS WEBSITE WITH INFORMATION RELATED TO THE INFLUENZA VACCINE SHORTAGE

CDC recently updated its Influenza web section with the following: (1) Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese versions of the updated interim influenza vaccination recommendations; (2) revised versions of the following, updated to reflect the recently expanded ACIP vaccination recommendations: Key Facts About Flu Vaccine; Who Should Get Flu Vaccine This Season; Questions & Answers: Flu Vaccination in the 2004-05 Season; Business and the Workplace: 2004-05 Influenza Season; and Colleges & Universities: 2004-05 Influenza Season; and (3) a web page of information about the recent avian influenza outbreaks in Asia. Following are descriptions of and links to these documents.

(1) On January 5, the Updated Interim Influenza Vaccination Recommendations--2004-05 Influenza Season was made available in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated interim recommendations in SPANISH, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/espanol/pdf/whoshouldget-spanish.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version of the updated interim recommendations in SPANISH, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/espanol/whoshouldget.htm

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated interim recommendations in VIETNAMESE, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vie/pdf/whoshouldget-vietnamese.pdf

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated interim recommendations in CHINESE, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/chi/pdf/whoshouldget-chinese.pdf

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated interim recommendations in ENGLISH, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/pdf/whoshouldget.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version of the updated interim recommendations in ENGLISH, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldget.htm

(2) On January 7, CDC posted revised versions of the following, updated to reflect the recently expanded ACIP vaccination recommendations:

Fact Sheet: Key Facts About Flu Vaccine. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/pdf/vaccinekeyfacts.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

Fact Sheet: Who Should Get Flu Vaccine This Season. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/pdf/0405shortage.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/0405shortage.htm

Questions & Answers: Flu Vaccination in the 2004-05 Season. To access it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/0405vaccination.htm

Business and the Workplace: 2004-05 Influenza Season. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/pdf/workplace-flu0405.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/workplace.htm

Colleges and Universities: 2004-05 Influenza Season. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/pdf/college.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/college.htm

(3) On January 3, updated information was added to the web page Recent Avian Influenza Outbreaks in Asia. To access it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/outbreaks/asia.htm

For ongoing information about new and updated additions to CDC's Influenza web section, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/whatsnew.htm
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January 10, 2005
NFID RELEASES REPORT ON THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE AMONG U.S. CHILDREN, TEENS, AND YOUNG ADULTS

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) recently issued a 16-page report, The Changing Epidemiology of Meningococcal Disease Among U.S. Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults. Developed in collaboration with experts from CDC and the United Kingdom, the report provides a comprehensive description of meningococcal disease epidemiology and disease burden among these age groups and discusses current and future prevention strategies.

To access the report's full text, go to:
http://www.nfid.org/publications
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January 10, 2005
REGISTER TODAY FOR CDC'S JANUARY 19 IMMUNIZATION NET CONFERENCE ON VARICELLA CASE-BASED REPORTING

Part of the series Current Issues in Immunization, the one-hour teleconference Varicella Case-Based Reporting is scheduled for January 19. Two sessions are planned, one at 10AM ET and the other at 12 noon ET. This is a limited-registration event. Registration will close at midnight ET January 17 or when the course is full.

The teleconference will focus on the following:

  • Recommendations of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
  • Practical issues
  • The Connecticut experience
  • Laboratory issues
  • Participants' questions and answers

The conference will use video technology. Those participating should have a DSL connection or better. The video shown during each session may not be supported by dial-up connection.

To register online, go to: http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/isd/ciinc

For comprehensive course information, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/ciinc
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January 10, 2005
CDC AND UNC SPONSOR A SATELLITE BROADCAST/WEBCAST ON VACCINE SHORTAGES ON JANUARY 28

CDC and the University of North Carolina School of Public Health (UNC) are sponsoring a one-hour satellite broadcast/webcast on the topic Vaccine Shortages: Protecting the Public's Health Amid Strategic and Ethical Concerns. Faculty includes Stephen Cochi, MD, MPH, acting director, NIP.

The program will begin at 2PM ET on January 28. It is part of Public Health Grand Rounds, a series of satellite broadcast/webcast presentations of real-world case studies of public health issues. Viewers can watch the program at a satellite downlink location or from their office or home computers by webcast.

The program's goal is to increase awareness of the local, state, and federal response to vaccine shortages and the strategic and ethical concerns for public health. Presenters will discuss actions taken by state and county health units in Arkansas in response to the current influenza vaccine shortage.

For comprehensive information about the program, go to:
http://www.publichealthgrandrounds.unc.edu/vac_shortage

To register for the program, go to:
http://www.publichealthgrandrounds.unc.edu/partreg
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January 10, 2005
INDIANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WILL HOLD ITS "IMMUNIZATION FROM A TO Z" COURSE ON JANUARY 28

The Immunization Program of the Indiana State Department of Health is offering a free course, Immunization from A to Z, on January 28. The course will be held at Rice Auditorium at the Department of Health from 9AM to 3PM. Registration is required.

Intended for all immunization providers and staff, course will cover the following:

  • Principles of vaccination
  • Overview of vaccine-preventable diseases
  • Adult immunization
  • General recommendations on immunization
  • Safe and effective vaccine administration
  • Vaccine storage and handling
  • Indiana requirements
  • Tips on reading immunization records
  • Vaccine misconceptions
  • Reliable resources

Attendees will receive a training manual and certificate of attendance.

Click here to access a two-page course brochure.

For more information, or to register, contact Beverly Sheets by email at hepbbev@aol.com or by phone at (317) 502-5722. Immunization courses are held throughout Indiana. To schedule or host a course in your area, contact Beverly.
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January 10, 2005
WORLD VACCINE CONGRESS SET FOR APRIL 18-20 IN MONTREAL

Scheduled for April 18-20 in Montreal, the 2005 World Vaccine Congress will offer attendees two concurrent streams. One stream will address global access and development strategies for vaccines; the other, business models and technologies for accelerating vaccine development and commercialization.

For comprehensive information about the congress, including the conference agenda, go to:
http://www.lifescienceworld.com/2005/wvcm%5FCA

For additional information, contact Terrapinn Limited in the UK by phone at +44 (0)20 7241548 or by email at enquiry.uk@terrapinn.com
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January 10, 2005
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF TRAVEL MEDICINE PLANS CONFERENCE FOR MAY 1-5 IN LISBON

The International Society of Travel Medicine will hold its 2005 conference in Lisbon on May 1-5. Immunization is among the topics on the conference agenda, specifically symposia on current vaccination issues, typhoid vaccination, and pediatric vaccination, as well as workshops on yellow fever and rabies vaccines.

For comprehensive information about the conference, go to: http://www.istm.org Click on the photo under the heading Sponsored Conference(s).

For additional information, contact the conference secretariat in Munich by phone at +49 89 340 20 966 or by email at cistm9@istm.org
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January 10, 2005
NFID TO HOLD ITS 2005 CONFERENCE ON VACCINE RESEARCH ON MAY 9-11 IN BALTIMORE

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will hold its 2005 Conference on Vaccine Research in Baltimore on May 9-11. Dr. David Heymann, WHO's executive director of communicable diseases, will deliver the keynote address. Featured presentation topics include the following: therapeutic vaccines; influenza and vaccines for emergency pandemics; recent advances in immunology: impact on vaccine research; and multi-agent and chimeric vaccines.

For comprehensive information on the conference, including the conference program; online registration; reduced registration rates for medical students, residents, and fellows; and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's travel grants award program for researchers from countries with limited resources, go to: http://www.nfid.org/conferences/vaccine05

For additional information, contact Sharon Cooper-Kerr by phone at (301) 656-0003 Ext. 19 or by email at vaccine@nfid.org
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January 10, 2005
CDC REPORTS ON MALARIA TRANSMISSION IN RESORT AREAS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN LATE 2004

CDC published "Transmission of Malaria in Resort Areas--Dominican Republic, 2004" in the January 7 issue of MMWR. A portion of a summary made available to the press is reprinted below.

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In November 2004, CDC received reports of two cases of laboratory confirmed Plasmodium falciparum malaria in American travelers returning from a resort area in La Altagracia Province and from urban areas in Duarte Province. An additional 14 cases of malaria were reported in European and Canadian travelers who had visited resorts in La Altagracia Province. Urban and resort areas in the Dominican Republic had been considered non-malarious, and prophylactic medication had not been recommended for people traveling to these areas. These cases led to expansion of CDC recommendations for travelers to the Dominican Republic, who should take the drug chloroquine to prevent malaria when visiting rural areas of the country (as previously recommended) but also when visiting any area of La Altagracia and Duarte Provinces.

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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5351a1.htm

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5351.pdf

To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which includes new ACIP statements), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html

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    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
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    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
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    Courtnay Londo, MA
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