ACIP issues its 2005-2006 influenza recommendations
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated its recommendations for influenza vaccination with these key points:1
- ACIP recommends that people with any condition (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders) who can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or who can increase the risk for aspiration be vaccinated against influenza.
- ACIP emphasizes that all health care workers should be vaccinated against influenza annually, and facilities that employ health care workers be strongly encouraged to provide vaccine to workers by using approaches that maximize immunization rates.
- Use of both available vaccines (inactivated and live, attenuated influenza virus [LAIV]) is encouraged for eligible people every influenza season, especially those in recommended target groups. During periods when inactivated vaccine is in short supply, use of LAIV is especially encouraged when feasible for eligible people (including health care workers) because it could considerably increase availability of inactivated vaccine for people in groups at high risk.
- The 2005-2006 trivalent vaccine virus strains are A/California/7/2004 (H3N2)-like, A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1)-like, and B/Shanghai/ 361/2002-like antigens. For the A/California/7/ 2004 (H3N2)-like antigen, manufacturers may use the antigenically equivalent A/New York/ 55/2004 virus, and for the B/Shanghai/361/2002-like antigen, manufacturers may use the anti- genically equivalent B/Jilin/20/ 2003 virus or B/Jiangsu/10/2003 virus.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies will assess the vaccine supply throughout the manufacturing period and will make recommendations preceding the 2005-06 influenza season regarding the need for tiered timing of vaccination of different risk groups. In addition, the CDC will publish ACIP recommendations regarding inactivated vaccine subprioritization (tiering) on a later date in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Reference
1. Harper SA, et al. Prevention and control of influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2005; 54(Early Release):1-40.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated its recommendations for influenza vaccination with these key points.Article Limit Reached
You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content. TESTING
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content