Meningitis deaths prompt CDC to recommend vaccine for teens

[Pathfinder]

Meningitis deaths prompt CDC to recommend vaccine for teens


Posted: 01/30/2011
Last Updated: 1 hour and 19 minutes ago

By LORA HINES The Press-Enterprise

Excerpt:

The committee's guidelines call for "routine vaccination of adolescents, preferably at age 11 or 12 years, with a booster dose at age 16," the report says of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine.

"CDC is hopeful that doctors will begin implementing these recommendations right away," agency spokesman Tom Skinner said Thursday. Nationwide, approximately 2,600 people contract meningococcal disease each year. Of those, about 1 in 10 die, according to the CDC.

Those who survive may experience long-term disabilities, such as brain damage, kidney failure, loss of arms or legs, chronic nervous-system problems or hearing loss.

Meningococcal infections are contagious, typically affecting pre-teenage children, adolescents, college freshmen and travelers, the CDC reports.

Full text:
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/ne...ths-prompt-cdc-to-recommend-vaccine-for-teens

 

[Missouriwatcher]

Re: Meningitis deaths prompt CDC to recommend vaccine for teens

Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 Through 18 Years --- United States, 2010
January 8, 2010 -The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) annually publishes an immunization schedule for persons aged 0 through 18 years that summarizes recommendations for currently licensed vaccines for children aged 18 years and younger and includes recommendations in effect as of December 15, 2009. Changes to the previous schedule include the following:

* The statement concerning use of combination vaccines in the introductory paragraph has been changed to reflect the revised ACIP recommendation on this issue.
* The last dose in the inactivated poliovirus vaccine series is now recommended to be administered on or after the fourth birthday and at least 6 months after the previous dose. In addition, if 4 doses are administered before age 4 years, an additional (fifth) dose should be administered at age 4 through 6 years.
* The hepatitis A footnote has been revised to allow vaccination of children older than 23 months for whom immunity against hepatitis A is desired.
* Revaccination with meningococcal conjugate vaccine is now recommended for children who remain at increased risk for meningococcal disease after 3 years (if the first dose was administered at age 2 through 6 years), or after 5 years (if the first dose was administered at age 7 years or older).
* Footnotes for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine have been modified to include 1) the availability of and recommendations for bivalent HPV vaccine, and 2) a permissive recommendation for administration of quadrivalent HPV vaccine to males aged 9 through 18 years to reduce the likelihood of acquiring genital warts.
http://cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5851a6.htm


Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule --- United States, 2010 NOTE: Other recommended vaccinations also listed on this site
January 15, 2010 - Meningococcal vaccine should be administered to persons with the following indications.

Medical: Adults with anatomic or functional asplenia, or persistent complement component deficiencies.

Other: First-year college students living in dormitories; microbiologists routinely exposed to isolates of Neisseria meningitidis; military recruits; and persons who travel to or live in countries in which meningococcal disease is hyperendemic or epidemic (e.g., the "meningitis belt" of sub-Saharan Africa during the dry season [December through June]), particularly if their contact with local populations will be prolonged. Vaccination is required by the government of Saudi Arabia for all travelers to Mecca during the annual Hajj.

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) is preferred for adults with any of the preceding indications who are aged ≤55 years; meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4) is preferred for adults aged ≥56 years. Revaccination with MCV4 after 5 years is recommended for adults previously vaccinated with MCV4 or MPSV4 who remain at increased risk for infection (e.g., adults with anatomic or functional asplenia). Persons whose only risk factor is living in on-campus housing are not recommended to receive an additional dose.
http://cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5901a5.htm