Issue Number 532            June 13, 2005

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

  1. FDA approves a new combination vaccine to help protect adolescents and adults against whooping cough
  2. New: AMA's primer will help physicians improve immunization rates, especially among minority populations
  3. New: CDC issues guidelines for preventing and controlling influenza transmission in long-term-care facilities
  4. New: IAC develops a professional-education piece on the use of standing orders to improve adult vaccination rates
  5. New VIS translations: VISs for five vaccines now available in Burmese
  6. MMWR corrects data reported on total mortality and influenza and pneumonia mortality between April 1-May 27, 2005

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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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June 13, 2005
FDA APPROVES A NEW COMBINATION VACCINE TO HELP PROTECT ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS AGAINST WHOOPING COUGH

On June 10, FDA approved Adacel, a vaccine for single-booster immunization against pertussis, in combination with tetanus and diphtheria. It is a Tetanus Toxoid (T), Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid (d), and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine (ap), Adsorbed. Manufactured by Aventis Pasteur Limited, Toronto, Adacel is intended for use in individuals 11-64 years of age. It is anticipated that ACIP will discuss Adacel's use at its June 29-30 meeting.

Adacel is the first vaccine approved as a pertussis booster for adults. Vaccines for prevention of tetanus and diphtheria (Td vaccine) for adults and adolescents have been around for years. On May 3, FDA approved Boostrix, a similar vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, for use in adolescents ages 10-18 years.

Pertussis, a highly communicable and potentially serious illness in adolescents and adults, can cause prolonged cough and missed days at school and work. In young infants, pertussis is more frequently severe and can be fatal, particularly in those too young to be fully vaccinated. Since 1980, the rates of reported pertussis cases have been increasing in adolescents and adults, as well as in young infants. Adolescents and adults have been implicated as the source of pertussis infection for susceptible young infants and other family members.

To access the FDA Talk Paper, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2005/ANS01361.html

To access the prescribing information, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/label/tdapave061005LB.pdf

To access the licensing action, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/products/tdapave061005.htm

To access the FDA approval letter, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/approvltr/tdapave061005L.htm
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June 13, 2005
NEW: AMA'S PRIMER WILL HELP PHYSICIANS IMPROVE IMMUNIZATION RATES, ESPECIALLY AMONG MINORITY POPULATIONS

The American Medical Association (AMA) recently published a physician primer, "Improving Immunization: Addressing Racial and Ethnic Populations." It is the fourth primer in the AMA's series Roadmaps for Clinical Practice. A collaborative endeavor between the AMA and CDC, the Roadmaps series is intended to help physicians adapt to changes in the medical environment and integrate disease prevention and health promotion into routine clinical care.

The immunization primer has four main components: overview, childhood and adolescent immunizations, adult immunizations, and resources for physicians and patients. It also has a continuing medical education activity and a program evaluation form.

To download the components, go to: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/9958.html

You can also order a complimentary copy of the primer in print (hardcover binder) or on CD-ROM. To order, call (312) 464-2456 or fax your request to (312) 464-5842.
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June 13, 2005
NEW: CDC ISSUES GUIDELINES FOR PREVENTING AND CONTROLLING INFLUENZA TRANSMISSION IN LONG-TERM-CARE FACILITIES

CDC recently posted new guidelines on its influenza web section. Titled "Guidelines and Recommendations: Infection Control Measures for Preventing and Controlling Influenza Transmission in Long-Term-Care Facilities," it covers influenza transmission, prevention and control measures, vaccination, and infection control measures in long-term-care settings.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/pdf/longtermcare.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/longtermcare.htm
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June 13, 2005
NEW: IAC DEVELOPS A PROFESSIONAL-EDUCATION PIECE ON THE USE OF STANDING ORDERS TO IMPROVE ADULT VACCINATION RATES

In May, IAC created a three-page professional-education piece "Standing orders for administering eight vaccines to adults and a protocol for managing anaphylaxis." The piece has links to prototype standing orders protocols that providers can adapt for administering vaccines commonly given to some or all adults.

ACIP reports that the use of standing orders is documented to have "improved vaccination rates among adults" and strongly encourages their use. IAC created the standing orders prototypes with the intent that providers will adapt them for use in private practices, health-maintenance organizations, clinics, hospitals, long-term-care facilities, and other healthcare settings.

The newly developed piece has links to standing orders prototypes for the following vaccines: influenza, meningococcal, tetanus-diphtheria (Td), varicella, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPV), hepatitis B, and hepatitis A. It also includes a link to a prototype protocol for managing anaphylactic reactions to adult vaccines.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the piece, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3089.pdf

Note: No web-text HTML version is available.

For more information on the successful use of standing orders in adult vaccination, see the ACIP recommendation and report "Use of Standing Orders Programs to Increase Adult Vaccination Rates: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR 2000; 49(RR01):15-26. You can access it by going to http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4901a2.htm
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June 13, 2005
NEW VIS TRANSLATIONS: VISs FOR FIVE VACCINES NOW AVAILABLE IN BURMESE

The current versions of the VISs for the following vaccines are now available in Burmese: varicella; diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTaP); Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib); hepatitis B; and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR). IAC gratefully acknowledges the California Department of Health Services for the translations.

VARICELLA VACCINE VIS (dated 12/16/98)
To obtain a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the VIS for varicella vaccine in Burmese, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/bu_var98.pdf

To obtain it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/varic99.pdf

DTaP VACCINE VIS (dated 7/30/01)
To obtain a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the VIS for DTaP vaccine in Burmese, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/budtap01.pdf

To obtain it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/dtap01.pdf

Hib VACCINE VIS (dated 12/16/98)
To obtain a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the VIS for Hib vaccine in Burmese, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/bu_hib98.pdf

To obtain it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/hib99.pdf

HEPATITIS B VACCINE VIS (dated 7/11/01)
To obtain a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the VIS for hepatitis B vaccine in Burmese, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/bu_hpb01.pdf

To obtain it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/hepb01.pdf

MMR VACCINE VIS (dated 1/15/03)
To obtain a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the VIS for MMR vaccine in Burmese, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/bu_mmr03.pdf

To obtain it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/mmr03.pdf

For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in a total of 33 languages, visit IAC's VIS web section at http://www.immunize.org/vis
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June 13, 2005
MMWR CORRECTS DATA REPORTED ON TOTAL MORTALITY AND INFLUENZA AND PNEUMONIA MORTALITY BETWEEN APRIL 1-MAY 27, 2005

CDC published "Errata: Vol. 54, Nos. 12-20" in the June 10 issue of MMWR. The text of the correction is reprinted below, excluding three corrected tables: (1) mortality data for New Orleans, (2) mortality totals for the Southwest Central region (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas), and (3) mortality totals for 122 U.S. Cities.

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In Table III, "Deaths in 122 U.S. cities," for week 12 (ending March 26, 2005) through week 20 (ending May 21, 2005), the total mortality from all causes and mortality caused by pneumonia and influenza for New Orleans, Louisiana, were incorrectly reported. . . .

[Three corrected tables follow.]

Corrected data also are available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/distrnds.html Select "Search Mortality Tables" and MMWR year 2005 and MMWR weeks 12-20.

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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5422a6.htm

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5422.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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Editorial Information

  • Editor-in-Chief
    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
  • Managing Editor
    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
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    Courtnay Londo, MA
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