The Advisory Committee upon Immuniz...

The Advisory Committee upon Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Center for Disease govern and Prevention (CDC) has issued recommendations forward the prevention and control of influenza for the 2004-2005 influenza season. This report updates the 2003 recommendations by way of the ACIP for the use of influenza vaccine and antiviral agents.

Epidemics of influenza usually come into view during the winter months and are responsible for approximately 36000 deaths by year in the United States. According to the ACIP, rates of infection are highest among children, on the contrary rates of serious illness and death are highest among bodily substances 65 years and older and per-son of any age who have medical conditions that place them at increased risk for complications from influenza. Influenza vaccination is the primary rule for preventing influenza and its complications. The three primary target assemblages for annual vaccination are (1) somebodys who are at increased risk for influenza-related complications; (2) per-son 50 to 64 years of age, because they have an elevated prevalence of chronic medical conditions; and (3) bodily forms who live with or care for somebodys at high risk.

The 2004 recommendations include of recent origin or updated information about the influenza vaccine in children six to 23 month of age; vaccination of health care workers with live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV); personnel who may administer LAIV, the 2004-2005 trivalent vaccine virus strains (A/Fujian/411/2002 [H3N2]-like, A/New Caledonia/20/99 [H1N1]-like, and B/Shanghai/361/2002-like); and an assessment of the vaccine furnish and timing of influenza vaccination.

The recommendations appear in the May 28 2004 recommendations and reports series of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, and are available online at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5306a1.htm.

Recommendations for Using Inactivated and Live, Attenuated Influenza Vaccines

TARGET GROUPS

form into groupss at high risk for complications from influenza include the following: (1) ones 65 years and older; (2) residents of nursing domiciles or other chronic-care facilities of any age who have chronic medical conditions; (3) adults and children who have chronic pulmonary or cardiovascular disorders; (4) adults and children who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases, renal dysfunction, immunosuppression, or hemoglobinopathies; (5) children and adolescents six month to 18 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and, therefore, might be at risk for Reye's syndrome after influenza infection; (6) women who will be pregnant during the influenza season; and (7) healthy children six to 23 month of age.

SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

According to the ACIP, women who will be pregnant during the influenza season should be vaccinated because of the increased risk for influenza-related complications. The influenza vaccine does not affect the safety of mothers who are breastfeeding or their infants.

The ACIP make acceptables vaccination of all children six to 23 month of age because of the substantially increased risk for influenza-related hospitalizations in this age assign places to ACIP continues to recommend influenza vaccination of human frames who are at least six month of age who have high-risk medical conditions. The passing from hand to hand inactivated influenza vaccine is not approved from the U.S. Food and remedy Administration (FDA) for use in children younger than six month Vaccinating their household contacts and out-of-home caregivers might decrease the probability of influenza infection among these children.

parts who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, including HIV-infected pregnant women should be vaccinated because influenza can rise in serious illness. Influenza vaccination also can terminate in the production of protective antibody titers.

somebodys at high risk for complications of influenza who were not vaccinated during the preceding fall or winter should consider receiving influenza vaccine before traveling if they plan to travel to the tropics, travel with an organized tour cluster at any time of year, or travel to the Southern Hemisphere from April end September.

COMPARISON OF LAIV WITH INACTIVATED INFLUENZA VACCINE

Inactivated influenza vaccine and LAIV contain strains of influenza viruses that are antigenically equivalent to the annually commended strains. Viruses for both vaccines are grown in urges and administered annually to provide optimal protection against influenza infection. Inactivated influenza vaccine contains killed viruses, whereas LAIV contains attenuated viruses still capable of replication. LAIV is administered intranasally on a sprayer, whereas inactivated influenza vaccine is administered intramuscularly at injection. LAIV is approved for use no other than among healthy persons five to 49 years of age; inactivated influenza vaccine is approved for use from persons who are at least six month of age, including those who are healthy and those with chronic medical conditions.