More Aggressive Whooping Cough Vaccine Use Advised

[HuckleB]

Source: Medscape

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have revised their recommendations on the whooping cough vaccine to call for the administration of 1 vaccine at particular ages and with minimal intervals between vaccinations, according to a new policy statement published online September 26 in Pediatrics.

"There are a lot of places where we have opportunities to have a positive impact, and if we don't take advantage of all of them, we're not likely to be successful," said Michael Brady, MD, from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' infectious diseases committee. "We're finding that 7- to 10-year-olds are underimmunized, and that older adolescents, if immunized at age 11, by the time they get to age 17 or 20, they're probably not protected. Also, we're giving the vaccine to mothers during pregnancy, rather than after delivery, because that will protect the mothers, and the mothers will develop the antibodies that they will give to their babies."

The 2 groups removed their previous minimum interval between administering a tetanus or diphtheria vaccine and the tetanus toxoid, reduced-content diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) based on a committee's review of clinical trials and other studies that cited no excess adverse reaction when Tdap is given shortly after tetanus and diphtheria toxoid vaccine (Td). To help to prevent pertussis, the 2 groups recommend a single dose of Tdap for children aged 7 to 10 years who may have been underimmunized with Tdap or whose immunization history is incomplete. Previously the preferred ages were 11 through 18 years.

At this time, the standard schedule for whooping cough vaccines lists shots at ages 2, 4, 6, and 15 to 18 months, as well as at ages 4 to 6 years and 11 to 12 years. Tdap is one of a group of pertussis vaccines used and was the first approved for ages 7 years and older.

Read more: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/750360

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The research that shows that the vaccine may not last, at least in full effect, past three years has been in the news, but this is the real important piece in terms of public health. This is the public health response to new knowledge.

[SkyDaddy7]

1. Thanks for posting!

[HuckleB]

2. You're welcome.

I wish more people cared.

[HuckleB]

3. Meanwhile: 11,000 Students Enter California Schools Without Required Vaccines

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/09/11-000-students-enter-california-schools-without-required-vaccines/245679/

[HuckleB]

4. Greetings, late-night anti-vax unrec crowd!

:hi: So much for all that supposed concern.