Travel and Health Information - Student Health Center
Immunization News from the Immunization Action Coalition
(Reprinted from the May 10, 2004 email newsletter IAC Express.)
Issue Number 459 May 10, 2004
Contents of this Issue
- Reminder: Spring is the time to encourage adult patients
to get a tetanus-diphtheria booster
- New edition: "International Travel and Health 2004" now
available on the WHO website
ABBREVIATIONS: AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAP,
American Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices; CDC, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; IAC, Immunization
Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report;
NIP, National Immunization Program; VIS, Vaccine Information
Statement; VPD, vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health
Organization.
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May 10, 2004
REMINDER: SPRING IS THE TIME TO ENCOURAGE ADULT PATIENTS TO
GET A TETANUS-DIPHTHERIA BOOSTER
Springtime finds people of all ages heading outside to garden,
picnic, and have fun in the sun. Outdoor recreation can create
problems, however, and one of them is potential tetanus
exposure. According to CDC, 31% of reported tetanus-related
injuries occur in yards, gardens, and farms, and another 23%
occur in other outdoor locations.
Given the popularity of gardening and other outdoor activities,
it's important that health professionals make sure patients,
particularly older patients, are fully and currently immunized
against tetanus (and diphtheria). According to an MMWR
surveillance report, in 1998-2000, only 40% of persons 65 years
and older reported receiving a booster dose of tetanus toxoid in
the previous 10 years, and 75% of reported tetanus deaths
occurred among patients 60 years of age or older. Clearly, many
older adults are not adequately immunized against tetanus and
some are suffering and dying as a result. Other at-risk
populations include persons of Hispanic ethnicity, older
diabetics, injection-drug users, pregnant women, persons with
philosophical objections to vaccines, and persons who might not
have received a primary series (e.g., immigrants). (Source: "
Tetanus Surveillance--United States, 1998-2000." MMWR, June 20,
2003, Vol. 52[SS03].)
An array of free tetanus information for patients and
professionals is available from the following sources:
- For a variety of materials, including a patient-education
brochure that can be downloaded or ordered free of charge, visit
the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases website at http://www.nfid.org/powerof10
- For professional resources, including a clinical information
slide set, international travel information, and excerpts from
the "Pink Book," visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/menus/diseases.htm#tetanus
- For journal articles, recommendations, state laws, case
histories, photos, and other resources, visit the IAC website at http://www.immunize.org/tetanus
- For VISs for tetanus and diphtheria vaccine (Td) in 28
languages, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/index.htm#td
- For VISs for diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis
vaccine (DTaP) in 28 languages, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/index.htm#dtap
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May 10, 2004
NEW EDITION: "INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND HEALTH 2004" NOW
AVAILABLE ON THE WHO WEBSITE
Newly available on the WHO website, "International Travel and
Health 2004" offers guidance on the full range of health risks
likely to be encountered at specific destinations and associated
with different types of travel--from business, humanitarian, and
leisure travel to backpacking and adventure tours. The
information is intended to help the medical profession be fully
aware of potential risks and to provide appropriate advice
regarding vaccinations, protection against insects and other
disease vectors, and safety in different environmental settings.
To allow for regular updates, the 2004 edition is available
online only. To access it, go to: http://www.who.int/ith and
click on the chapter titles at the top of the screen.
We hope you will forward this e-newsletter to others.
Managing Editor: Dale Thompson (dale@immunize.org)
Editorial Assistant: Janelle Tangonan Anderson (janelle@immunize.org)
ISSN: 1526-1786
To subscribe or change your IACX email address, as well as to view
past issues, please visit http://www.immunize.org/express.
This publication is supported in part by Grant No. U66/CCU518372
from the National Immunization Program, CDC, and Grant No.
U50/CCU523259 from the Division of Viral Hepatitis, CDC. Its
contents are solely the responsibility of IAC and do not necessarily
represent the official views of CDC.
Circulation: 17,862
DISCLAIMER: http://www.immunize.org/admin/discl-ex.htm
PLEASE CONTACT US AT:
Immunization Action Coalition
1573 Selby Avenue, Suite 234
St. Paul, MN 55104
Voice: (651) 647-9009
Fax: (651) 647-9131
Email: admin@immunize.org (mailto:admin@immunize.org)
Web: http://www.immunize.org
http://www.vaccineinformation.org
http://www.hepprograms.org
http://www.izcoalitions.org
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