Immunization Newsbriefs

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Subject: Immunization News for 12/30/04

Date: Dec 30, 2004 10:36 AM

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December 30, 2004

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" Antonia's Tragic Lesson; CDC Examines the Deaths of Young Flu Victims "

" Whooping Cough Near 50-Year Record "

" Water Is Key to Averting Epidemics Along Coasts "

" Southern Africa: Rising Child Deaths Illustrate Region's Health Crisis "

" Two Killed by, 112 Others Infected With Anthrax in Zimbabwe "

" South Africa Warns Prospective Visitors to Get Measles Jabs as Incidence

Rises "

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U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

" Antonia's Tragic Lesson; CDC Examines the Deaths of Young Flu Victims "

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

(www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/1204/30antonia.html) (12/30/04) P.

1C; Guthrie,

Antonia Watkins was five years old when she died from flu-related

complications in December 2003. She was one of 152 children under the age

of 18 years who died in the United States of flu or flu-related

complications in the 2003-2004 flu season. As a previously healthy

five-year-old, Watkins had not been vaccinated for influenza. Current

guidelines recommend the flu vaccine for children aged six months to 23

months and for older children with chronic medical conditions or who live

with children under age two. The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention is currently looking over last season's death toll and may

expand its flu vaccine recommendations to include older children.

Ninety-six of last season's victims were under five years, 45 were six

months to 23 months old, and 76 had not been vaccinated.

" Whooping Cough Near 50-Year Record "

Saint Pioneer Press

(www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/health/10510278.htm) (12/28/04)

P. 3B; Boyd,

So far this year, 727 confirmed cases of pertussis have been reported to

the Minnesota Health Department. With 200 potential cases of the illness

still under investigation, the state could surpass the highest incidence of

pertussis in the past 50 years, says state Health Department epidemiologist

. Minnesota reported 1,102 cases of pertussis in 1954, with

the average number of cases in the state most other years totaling about

594. Wisconsin is also reporting a higher-than-usual number of pertussis

cases, but questions whether the number of cases is increasing or

rather just awareness of the disease and its symptoms is increasing.

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

" Water Is Key to Averting Epidemics Along Coasts "

New York Times

(www.nytimes.com/2004/12/30/international/worldspecial4/30disease.html)

(12/30/04) P. A14; Altman, Lawrence K.

Though health officials have not confirmed any epidemics breaking out along

the South Asian coastal areas devastated by massive tsunamis last weekend,

the World Health Organization (WHO) is warning that contaminated water

supplies and overcrowded shelters could become breeding grounds for a

number of health problems, particularly diarrheal diseases and liver

diseases. These diseases include cholera, typhoid, shigellosis, and

hepatitis A and E. Dr. Nabarro, WHO director of crisis operations,

is reporting a possible outbreak of measles in Sri Lanka. If confirmed,

such an outbreak would be " cause for concern, because we would have

expected a pretty high level of coverage by immunization " there, Nabarro

says. So far, no influenza outbreaks have been reported, and officials say

they do not expect the disease to be a problem. However, diarrheal

diseases caused by bacteria are a concern, and the WHO is calling for clean

water and water-purifying tablets to help prevent the spread of such

diseases, as well as antibiotics to be used for treatment. Nabarro says

antibiotics should not be used prophylactically, because they could lead to

the emergence of new bacteria strains that are resistant to antibiotic

treatment.

" Southern Africa: Rising Child Deaths Illustrate Region's Health Crisis "

Africa News Service (allafrica.com/stories/200412290253.html) (12/29/04)

Improved health care worldwide has led to a general decline in the child

mortality rate from the 1960s, when about one in five children died before

they reached the age of five years, to 2002, when less than one in 12

children die by age five. However, a report on child survival released in

October by UNICEF reveals a reversal of this trend in some sub-Saharan

African nations between 1990 and 2002. The rise in childhood mortality in

southern Africa, which World Health Organization spokesman e says

is part of " the biggest public health challenge that the world has ever

faced, " is being blamed largely on the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS there.

Widespread poverty and the poor health and sanitation services that come

with it are also playing a major role in the decline of children's health

in southern Africa. UNICEF says that while many of the major preventative

tools, such as vaccines and nutritional supplements, are relatively

inexpensive, children's health is not high enough on some governments'

priority lists. " There aren't enough donations for child services as one

would expect, " says Calvin Maseko of the African Medical and Research

Foundation, a nongovernmental organization. Others say many nations in

sub-Saharan Africa are not equipped with the money or professional manpower

needed to deal with such as serious public health crisis.

" Two Killed by, 112 Others Infected With Anthrax in Zimbabwe "

Xinhua News Agency (news.xinhuanet.com/english) (12/29/04)

Two people have died of anthrax and another 112 have been infected with the

bacteria in the Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe since last week.

Most of those affected consumed meat of infected animals. Local farmers

are being urged to bring their animals to the nearest veterinary clinic

for vaccination.

" South Africa Warns Prospective Visitors to Get Measles Jabs as Incidence

Rises "

BBC News (news.bbc.co.uk) (12/28/04)

Following a recent increase in the number of measles cases in South

Africa's KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces, travelers to the country are

being urged to receive measles vaccinations and doctors are asked to report

cases of fever and rash to provincial health departments, according to a

South Africa Department of Health spokesperson. Immunization coverage that

is below 90 percent in South Africa and importation of the disease from

other countries is responsible for the measles outbreaks.

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