| Issue Number
39,
January 6, 2006 |
| |
| Contents of this Issue |
|
|
|
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
(1 of 12)
January 6, 2006
NEW: ACIP ISSUES HEPATITIS B RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND
ADOLESCENTS
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC
EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 1/3/06.]
On December 23, 2005, CDC published "A Comprehensive Immunization Strategy to
Eliminate Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States:
Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Part
1: Immunization of Infants, Children, and Adolescents" in the MMWR
Recommendations and Reports. The new recommendations are the first major update
of the immunization strategy to eliminate hepatitis B virus in the United States
since 1991.
The summary to the recommendations is reprinted below.
**********************
This report is the first of a two-part statement from the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP) that updates the strategy to eliminate hepatitis B
virus (HBV) transmission in the United States. The report provides updated
recommendations to improve prevention of perinatal and early childhood HBV
transmission, including implementation of universal infant vaccination beginning
at birth, and to increase vaccine coverage among previously unvaccinated
children and adolescents. Strategies to enhance implementation of the
recommendations include (1) establishing standing orders for administration of
hepatitis B vaccination beginning at birth; (2) instituting delivery hospital
policies and procedures and case management programs to improve identification
of and administration of immunoprophylaxis to infants born to mothers who are
hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive and to mothers with unknown HBsAg
status at the time of delivery; and (3) implementing vaccination record reviews
for all children aged 11-12 years and children and adolescents aged [younger
than] 19 years who were born in countries with intermediate and high levels of
HBV endemicity, adopting hepatitis B vaccine requirements for school entry, and
integrating hepatitis B vaccination services into settings that serve
adolescents. The second part of the ACIP statement, which will include updated
recommendations and strategies to increase hepatitis B vaccination of adults,
will be published separately.
**********************
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the recommendations, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5416a1.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version them, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5416.pdf
NOTE: The PDF version includes a free CDC-sponsored education activity that can
be submitted electronically or by fax or U.S. mail for CME, CEU, or CNE credit.
Simply read the recommendations, answer the questions at the end, and follow
instructions for submitting your answers.
To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which includes new ACIP
statements), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(2 of 12)
January 6, 2006
CDC PROVIDES ONLINE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW HEPATITIS B RECOMMENDATIONS
CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis has created a web section featuring resources
related to the new ACIP hepatitis B recommendations. The page includes links to
the following:
- frequently asked questions about the new
recommendations
- frequently asked questions about foreign-born
persons and hepatitis B
- state perinatal hepatitis B prevention program
coordinators
- the Vaccines for Children program
- "Progress Towards Elimination of Perinatal and
Childhood Hepatitis B Virus Infections," a PowerPoint presentation from the
National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference, December 7, 2005
To access this information, and more, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/acip.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(3 of 12)
January 6, 2006
NET CONFERENCE ON NEW HEPATITIS B RECOMMENDATIONS IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 2;
REGISTER BY JANUARY 31
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC
EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 1/3/06.]
NIP and the Division of Viral Hepatitis have scheduled a one-hour net conference
for 12 noon ET February 2. Titled New ACIP Recommendations: Prevention of
Perinatal and Childhood Hepatitis B Infections, the conference is intended for
hospital obstetrical and neonatal staff, prenatal care providers, professional
organizations involved in perinatal care, and public health staff. For
additional conference information, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/ciinc/hepatitisb.htm
The conference requires pre-registration, as space is limited. Registration will
close when the course is full or on January 31 (midnight ET). To register for
the conference, go to:
http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/isd/hepbconference
The program will combine a telephone audio conference and simultaneous online
visual content. Participants can join the Q&A session by telephone or Internet.
For instructions and system requirements, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/ciinc/instructions.htm
For additional information, go to:
nipinfo@cdc.gov
----------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(4 of 12)
January 6, 2006
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS AVAILABLE FOR NATIONAL HEPATITIS CONFERENCE
ATTENDEES
The National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference chairs wish to remind people
who attended the conference that continuing education credit is available
through the CDC Training and Continuing Education Online system only.
Individuals must complete the online evaluation by January 9, 2006 to receive
continuing education credits or a certificate of completion.
To complete the online evaluation go to CDC Training and Continuing Education
Online at http://www.cdc.gov/phtnonline.
If you have not registered as a participant, click on New Participant to create
a user ID and password; otherwise click on Participant Login and login.
Directions for completing the evaluation can be found in your conference program
book. The code for this training is NVHPC2005. Once you have completed the
evaluation, a record of your course completion will be located in the Transcript
and Certificate section of your record.
If you have any questions or problems, contact CDC/ATSDR Training and Continuing
Education Online at (800) 418-7246 or (404) 639-1292, or email
mailto:ce@cdc.gov
----------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(5 of 12)
January 6, 2006
CURRENT ISSUES IN IMMUNIZATION NET CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON NEW HEPATITIS A
VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC
EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 12/12/05.]
Scheduled for January 19, 2006, from noon to 1PM ET, the net conference Current
Issues in Immunization is designed to provide clinicians with up-to-date
information on immunization. The program has two primary topics: (1) new
hepatitis A vaccine recommendations and (2) overview of vaccine information
statements (VISs).
The conference requires pre-registration, as space is limited. Registration will
close when the course is full or on January 17, 2006 (midnight ET). To register
for the conference, go to:
http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/isd/ciinc
The program will combine a telephone audio conference and simultaneous online
visual content. Participants can join the Q&A session by telephone or Internet.
For instructions and system requirements, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/ciinc/instructions.htm
For additional information, go to:
nipinfo@cdc.gov
----------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(6 of 12)
January 6, 2006
HEPATITIS B BILL INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS
On December 15, 2005, Representatives Charles Dent (R-PA) and Mike Honda (D-CA)
introduced HR 4550 in the House of Representatives. Titled the National
Hepatitis B Act, the bill's purpose is "To amend the Public Health Service Act
to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish, promote, and
support a comprehensive prevention, education, research, and medical management
program that will lead to a marked reduction in liver cirrhosis and a reduction
in the cases of, and improved survival of, liver cancer caused by chronic
hepatitis B infection."
This bill could be a useful vehicle to educate members of Congress about
hepatitis B and the need for an enhanced federal response. Individuals are
encouraged to let their congressional representatives know about this bill and
encourage them to sign on as co-sponsors.
To view the bill online, go to
http://thomas.loc.gov and enter HR 4550 in the search box.
Persons interested receiving ongoing information about national viral hepatitis
policy should sign up for the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS
Directors' listserv. Subscribe by emailing
viralhepadvocacy@nastad.org
----------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(7 of 12)
January 6, 2006
NIP WEBSITE POSTS PROVISIONAL ACIP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE OF Tdap, HEPATITIS A,
AND HEPATITIS B VACCINES
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC
EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 12/19/05.]
NIP recently posted links to provisional ACIP recommendations for the use of
Tdap, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B vaccines to its web page of Provisional ACIP
Recommendations. Provisional recommendations are those that ACIP has voted on
but that CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services have not yet
approved and that MMWR has not yet published. Links to newly posted provisional
recommendations follow:
To access the web page of provisional
recommendations, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/provisional_recs
To access a complete list of ACIP recommendations
already published in MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/acip-list.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(8 of 12)
January 6, 2006
CDC ISSUES PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THE APPOINTMENT OF THREE NEW CENTER DIRECTORS
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC
EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 12/5/05.]
On November 23, [2005], CDC published a press release announcing the appointment
of three new directors, including the director of the National Immunization
Program. Portions of the press release are reprinted below.
Following the reprinted material from the press release is a link to an article,
"CDC Announces Restructuring Details," from the November 2005 issue of the
newsletter published by Every Child by Two (ECBT). The article includes an
organizational chart depicting the future structure of CDC's Coordinating Center
for Infectious Diseases, which includes the current National Immunization
Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, and National Center for HIV,
STD, and TB Prevention.
This IAC Express article concludes with IAC's expression of thanks for the
leadership provided by Stephen L. Cochi, MD, MPH, acting director of NIP.
*********************
For immediate release
November 23, 2005
CDC DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES NEW CENTER DIRECTORS
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Julie Gerberding
announced today the appointment of new directors for three key organizational
components of the federal agency responsible for protecting the nation's health.
. . .
The appointments include Anne Schuchat, MD, as director of the National
Immunization Program. Dr. Schuchat began her career at CDC as an Epidemic
Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer in 1988 and most recently served as the
acting director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID). She has
made critically important contributions to prevention of infectious diseases in
children, including her role in group B streptococcal disease prevention, where
she spearheaded the development of CDC's guidelines, which have led to an 80
percent reduction in newborn infections and a 75 percent narrowing of racial
disparity in this infectious disease. She has also been instrumental in pre- and
post-licensure evaluations of conjugate vaccines for bacterial meningitis and
pneumonia and in accelerating availability of these new vaccines in
resource-poor countries through WHO and the Global Alliance for Vaccine and
Immunization.
In a second appointment, Rima Khabbaz, MD, was named as the director of the
National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID). Dr. Khabbaz began her career at
CDC as an EIS Officer in 1980 and most recently served as acting deputy director
of NCID. She has worked in research and epidemiology of hospital-acquired
infections [and] viral diseases and played a leading role in coordinating CDC's
programs around blood safety [and] food safety, as well as emerging infectious
diseases. She has played critical roles in CDC's responses to bioterrorism,
outbreaks of new diseases, and infectious disease responses to natural
disasters.
In addition, Kevin Fenton, MD, PhD, was named director of the National Center
for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP). Dr. Fenton has served as chief of
CDC's National Syphilis Elimination Effort since January 2005. He has worked in
research, epidemiology, and the prevention of HIV and other STDs since 1995 and
was previously the director of the HIV and STI Department at the United
Kingdom's Health Protection Agency. Dr. Fenton has spearheaded the development
of a number of national HIV, STD, and behavioral surveillance and research
programs in the U.K. and Western Europe including the National Chlamydia
Screening Programme in England, the 2nd British National Survey of Sexual
Attitudes and Lifestyles, and the European Surveillance of STI (ESSTI) Network.
. . .
*********************
To access the press release from the CDC website, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r051123.htm
IAC staff look forward to working with Dr. Schuchat, Dr. Khabbaz, and Dr. Fenton
in their new roles as CDC center directors to meet the challenging public health
issues that lie ahead.
LINK TO ECBT ARTICLE
For more information on CDC's restructuring, see "CDC Announces Restructuring
Details" in the November 2005 issue of the Every Child by Two newsletter at
http://www.ecbt.org/cdcrstrc.html
IAC THANKS DR. STEPHEN COCHI FOR HIS LEADERSHIP
IAC staff express our great appreciation to Stephen L. Cochi, MD, MPH, for his
outstanding leadership as acting director at CDC's National Immunization Program
for the past 22 months. We also thank him for his services as NIP liaison to
IAC's Advisory Board for the past two years and his personal commitment to IAC's
mission and work.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(9 of 12)
January 6, 2006
MMWR NOTIFIES READERS THAT FDA APPROVED LOWERING THE AGE LIMIT FOR HAVRIX
HEPATITIS A VACCINE TO 12 MONTHS
[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC
EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 12/12/05.]
CDC published "Notice to Readers: FDA Approval of Havrix (Hepatitis A Vaccine,
Inactivated) for Persons Aged 1-18 Years" in the December 9, [2005], issue of
MMWR. The notice is reprinted below in its entirety, with the exception of
footnotes.
***********************
On October 17, 2005, the Food and Drug Administration approved an application to
allow use of the pediatric/adolescent formulation of Havrix (hepatitis A
vaccine, inactivated) (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium) for
persons aged 1-18 years. Previously, pediatric use of Havrix was approved for
use in persons aged 2-18 years.
Vaccine Description
The formulation, dosage, and schedule for Havrix were not changed. Each 0.5-mL
dose of pediatric/adolescent Havrix contains 720 enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay units of formalin-inactivated hepatitis A viral antigen adsorbed onto
aluminum hydroxide. The formulation contains 0.5% 2-phenoxyethanol as a
preservative.
The pediatric/adolescent formulation of Havrix is indicated for vaccination of
persons aged 1-18 years against disease caused by hepatitis A virus.
Recommendations for hepatitis A vaccination have been published previously and
are periodically updated. The primary vaccination schedule is unchanged and
consists of 2 doses, administered on a 0, 6-12-month schedule.
In a study presented as part of the labeling change application, 99% of 218
children aged 11-13 months and 100% of 200 children aged 15-18 months who
received 2 doses of Havrix developed a vaccine response. The approval included
concomitant use of Havrix with Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (PRP-T
Hib). Data regarding concomitant use with other routinely recommended childhood
vaccines are limited. According to general recommendations of the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices, inactivated vaccines usually do not
interfere with the immune response to other inactivated or live vaccines.
Among the 723 healthy children who received 1 or more dose of Havrix, the most
common adverse events were similar among children aged 11-18 months and children
aged 23-25 months. Havrix is contraindicated in persons with known
hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine. Additional information is
available from the manufacturer's package insert and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals
at telephone (888) 825-5249.
***********************
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5448a4.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5448.pdf
--------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(10 of 12)
January 6, 2006
MANAGEMENT OF HEPATITIS CONFERENCE SET FOR APRIL 6-8 IN BETHESDA
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the
National Institutes of Health, the American Association for the Study of Liver
Diseases, and the Hepatitis B Foundation are sponsoring a meeting on April 6-8,
2006, in Bethesda, Maryland.
The goals of "Management of Hepatitis B Virus" are to assess current
understanding of HBV, the disease that it causes, and its optimal management;
and to make recommendations for directions for future research, both basic and
clinical.
For more information, go to:
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/fund/other/hbv2006
-------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(11 of 12)
January 6, 2006
ACCESS AASLD CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS ONLINE
On November 11-15, 2005, the American Association for the Study of Liver
Diseases (AASLD) hosted the 56th Annual Liver Meeting in San Francisco. You can
now access presentations from this conference online.
HIVandHepatitis.com has posted independent coverage of the AASLD conference at
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2005icr/aasld/main.html
Clinical Care Options has posted independent coverage of the conference at
http://clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis/Conference%20Coverage/
San%20Francisco%202005.aspx
-------------------------------------------------------------
Return to top
(12 of 12)
January 6, 2006
VIRAL HEPATITIS PREVENTION BOARD ADDS TWO RESOURCES TO ITS WEBSITE
The Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board (VHPB) website has been updated to include
two new resources.
The program, pre-meeting document, and all the presentations from the November
2005 meeting, "Can the United Kingdom Control Viral Hepatitis?" are available
online by going to the homepage at
http://www.vhpb.org
The latest issue of Viral Hepatitis, "Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Other
Blood-Borne Infections in Healthcare Workers," can be accessed as a PDF document
by going to
http://www.vhpb.org/files/html/Meetings_and_publications/
Viral_Hepatitis_Newsletters/vhv14n1.pdf
|
Home
