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Immunization Issues
NNii provides up-to-date information regarding immunization research and policy. This section includes background information, recent developments, and insights on current topics related to vaccines and immunization.
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In 2007, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) conceded a case concerning a child with a mitochondrial disorder. What are the implications of this decision?
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Looking at the number of shots given at each pediatric visit, many parents wonder whether a baby’s immune system can withstand so many immunizations.
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The original rotavirus vaccine—Rotashield®—was shown to have caused intussusception at a rate of about 1 in 10,000 infants. What about the new vaccine?
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Some parents regard hepatitis B immunization as unnecessary, based on their misconception that this is a disease for which their children are not at risk. However, as many as 16%-30% of hepatitis B cases have no known source of infection.
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Vaccine research concerns various scientific disciplines, such as epidemiology, genetics, immunology, and statistics. The terms used in vaccine research are sometimes technical and hard to understand for the lay reader.
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Recently an unimmunized child was reported from Minnesota with poliovirus infection. So far, three other unimmunized children in the same community have also been identified as being infected. What is the origin of these infections?
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Although vaccines have saved millions of lives around the world, many Web sites contain erroneous or false information about the safety of vaccines. This article provides some tips on how to evaluate the accuracy and validity of the information found on the Internet about vaccines.
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Each year in the United States, up to 60,000 adults die from vaccine-preventable diseases or their complications. These diseases include influenza, pneumococcal disease, and tetanus among others.
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In 1997, adolescents and adults accounted for almost half of the reported cases of pertussis; they are often the ones who spread the disease to young infants. This has prompted consideration of booster pertussis immunizations for older age groups.
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Although many medications, including some vaccines, are avoided during pregnancy because of potential harm to the mother or fetus, some vaccines are recommended for pregnant women.
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Although scientific data show that HBV vaccine is very safe, anecdotes have caused some to hypothesize that HBV vaccine might be associated with an increased risk of demyelinating neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis.
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Sometimes it may be hard to keep up with immunizations when moving to a different state—or country—where there may be different immunization recommendations. However, you can take some steps to be sure that you or your child have all the necessary immunizations.
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Typhoid fever is a serious disease caused by the bacterium called Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi. There are two typhoid vaccines licensed in the US that are recommended for travelers to parts of the world where typhoid fever is common.
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The prevalence of childhood asthma has been increasing in the past two decades in the United States. Some have suggested that this increase may be due to vaccinations, although recent studies do not support that hypothesis.
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Currently, a child could receive as many as 5 separate injections during a single office visit.
To reduce the number of injections a child receives, manufacturers have been developing combination vaccines.
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Misinformation about vaccines and vaccine safety create confusion for parents who are considering immunizations for their children. This confusion makes it difficult for parents to make informed decisions and can result in tragic consequences.
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Recent reports from public health officials in the United States show that antibiotic resistance is increasing rapidly among the bacteria that cause meningitis and pneumonia, making it difficult to treat many infections. How can vacccines combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria?
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Unimmunized persons are protected—indirectly—against some infectious diseases by being surrounded by immunized persons. This is known as community (or “herd”) immunity. Why is community immunity important for public health?
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The Food and Drug Administration Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) conducted a careful review of the science relating to risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) transmission through use of vaccines.
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Some media reports have said that parents should not use the MMR vaccine but have their children immunized against measles, mumps and rubella one at a time (i.e., on three separate occasions, as long as one year apart). This is a potentially dangerous advice that increases a child's risk of being needlessly harmed by serious diseases that can be effectively and safely prevented.
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