| Issue Number
22, October 13, 2004 |
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| Contents of this Issue |
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ABBREVIATIONS: ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; CDC, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention; DVH, Division of Viral Hepatitis; HAV,
hepatitis A virus; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus; IAC,
Immunization Action Coalition; IDU, injection drug user; MMWR, Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report; MSM, men who have sex with men; STD, sexually
transmitted disease; VIS, Vaccine Information Statement; WHO, World Health
Organization.
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October 13, 2004
CDC RELEASES HEPATITIS SURVEILLANCE REPORT NO. 59
In September, CDC issued a 54-page document "Hepatitis Surveillance Report No.
59." This publication summarizes viral hepatitis case reports received from
state health departments. It is intended as a reference document for policy
makers, program managers, health planners, researchers, and others who are
concerned about the public health implications of viral hepatitis infection.
To read or download a copy in PDF format, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/resource/PDFs/hep_surveillance_59.pdf
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October 13, 2004
CDC AND GACVS RESPOND TO NEUROLOGY ARTICLE ON HEPATITIS B VACCINE AND MULTIPLE
SCLEROSIS
A recent article in the journal Neurology, "Recombinant Hepatitis B Vaccine and
the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis: A Prospective Study," concluded that the
findings of the study are consistent with the hypothesis that immunization with
hepatitis B vaccine is associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis.
However, CDC and WHO's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) do
not agree with the conclusion of the study.
CDC concurs with the Neurology editorial accompanying the article that "the data
presented do not provide proof of an association sufficient to implement policy
changes with regard to immunization programs."
Read more in CDC's "Immunization Works":
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2004/200409.htm#other
GACVS "does not believe that the findings provide convincing support for the
hypothesis that immunisation with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine is associated
with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis." The Committee has prepared the
following two responses:
World Health Organization Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety: Response
to the paper by MA Hernàn and others in Neurology 14th September 2004 issue
entitled "Recombinant Hepatitis B Vaccine and the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis"
http://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/topics/hepatitisb/multiple_sclerosis/sep_04/en
Questions and answers with respect to the recent study "Recombinant Hepatitis B
Vaccine and the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis" published by Hernàn et al. in
Neurology, 2004
http://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/topics/hepatitisb/multiple_sclerosis/qa_sep04/en
To read the abstract of the original article on PubMed, click
here.
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October 13, 2004
NEW TRANSLATION: "PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST HEPATITIS A & B: A GUIDE FOR GAY AND
BISEXUAL MEN" NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC
EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 10/11/04.]
A Spanish-language version of IAC's two-page patient-education brochure "Protect
Yourself against Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B . . . A Guide for Gay and Bisexual
Men" is now available. Developed in April, the brochure educates men who have
sex with men about their increased risk for contracting hepatitis A and
hepatitis B and makes the case for getting immunized against them.
PLEASE NOTE: The brochure is intended for a gay audience in settings such as STD
clinics and clinics for men who have sex with men. It is not intended for
routine use in all clinic settings.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the brochure in Spanish, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4115-01.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4115-01.htm
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the brochure in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4115.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4115.htm
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October 13, 2004
NEWLY REVISED HEPATITIS A VIS HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH, CHINESE, AND
TAGALOG
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC
EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 9/27/04.]
Dated 8/4/04, the current version of the VIS for hepatitis A vaccine is now
available on the IAC website in Spanish, Chinese, and Tagalog. IAC gratefully
acknowledges the California Department of Health Services for the translations.
To obtain a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the VIS for hepatitis A vaccine in
Spanish, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/sp_hpa04.pdf
To obtain it in Chinese, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/ch_hpa04.pdf
To obtain it in Tagalog, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/ta_hpa04.pdf
To obtain it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/v-hepa.pdf
For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in a total of 32 languages,
visit IAC's VIS web section at
http://www.immunize.org/vis
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October 13, 2004
IAC REVISES THREE PATIENT EDUCATION BROCHURES RELATED TO VIRAL
HEPATITIS
IAC recently updated the following three brochures:
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"Hepatitis A Is a Serious Liver Disease."
Written in Q&A format, the brochure was expanded to include more
questions. In addition, new graphics give the brochure a fresh,
contemporary look.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the updated brochure, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4080a.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4080a.htm
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"Hepatitis A & B: Be sure your patient gets the correct
dose!"
The sheet lists various brands of hepatitis A vaccine, hepatitis
B vaccine, and combination vaccines that contain either vaccine
or both. It outlines the recommended dosages and dosing
schedules for children, adolescents, and adults. The primary
change was to extend the range of the second adult dose of Merck
& Co.'s Vaqta hepatitis A vaccine from 6-12 months to 6-18
months.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the revised sheet, go
to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2081ab.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2081ab.htm
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"If you, your parents, or your children were born in any of
these places . . . give this brochure to your health care
provider and ask to find out your hepatitis B status"
This brochure encourages persons from HBV-endemic areas to know
their hepatitis B status, get vaccinated if susceptible to HBV
infection, and obtain medical care if infected. Information
about hepatitis B treatment was changed from the earlier
version.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the revised brochure,
go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4170ref.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4170.htm
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October 13, 2004
CDC OFFERS EXPANDED WEB RESOURCES ON HEPATITIS C AND INJECTION
DRUG USE
CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis offers a variety of online
resources to help prevent hepatitis C virus infection in
injecting drug users. Resources include specialized fact sheets,
links to related organizations, and a ready-to-copy brochure for
injecting drug users created by the Academy for Educational
Development and the National Minority AIDS Council.
CDC estimates that injection drug use accounts for 60% of all
new cases of hepatitis C and is a major risk factor for
infection with hepatitis B virus.
Visit the Injection Drug Use web section at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/index.htm#idu
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October 13, 2004
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HEPATITIS TASK FORCES LAUNCHES WEBSITE
On September 13, 2004, the National Association of Hepatitis
Task Forces (NAHTF) announced the launch of a new website. NAHTF
provides support for developing and existing community hepatitis
task forces.
To visit the website, go to: http://www.nahtf.org
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October 13, 2004
NOVEMBER 19 IS THE DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS FOR CDC'S 2005
NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION CONFERENCE
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action
Coalition's "IAC EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 10/04/04.]
November 19 is the deadline for submitting abstracts for CDC's
2005 National Immunization Conference, which will be held in
Washington, DC, on March 21-24, 2005. The deadline for early-bird
registration ($150) is January 28. The deadline for regular
registration ($175) is March 4.
Abstracts must be submitted online. To access submission
guidelines, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/nic/#abstract
For general conference information, including conference goals
and objectives and registration, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/nic
For additional information, contact the conference planning team
at (404) 639-8225 or nipnic@cdc.gov
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