NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The 2006 Childhood and Adolescent Immunization
Schedule includes new recommendations for immunizing against meningitis,
whooping cough (pertussis), influenza, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported today.

These are some key changes:

-- With regard to preventing meningitis, the meningococcal conjugate vaccine
(MCV4) should be administered to all children between 11 and 12 years old as
well as to unvaccinated adolescents at high school entry (age 15 years);
also, college freshmen living in dormitories should also be vaccinated with
MCV4 or meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4).

-- To protect adolescents against whooping cough, a new vaccine containing
tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap
adolescent preparation) is recommended for adolescents 11 to 12 years, and
for those aged 13 to 18 years who missed their earlier Tdap booster dose.
Subsequent Td boosters are recommended every 10 years.

-- Annual influenza vaccination is now recommended for children younger than
6 months who have certain risk factors, including conditions that can cause
breathing or swallowing difficulties, such as spinal cord injuries, seizure
disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders.

-- Hepatitis A vaccine is now universally recommended for all children at
age 1 year. Children not vaccinated at 1 to 2 years of age should be
vaccinated during the preschool years.

-- The importance of the hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) birth dose is emphasized
in the new schedule. The birth dose should be delayed only under rare
circumstances.

The full 2006 immunization schedule is in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report that is located at:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5451-Immunizationa1.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_29007.html




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