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CDC issues seasonal influenza vaccine recommendations
CDC once again recommends that all people aged 6 months and older receive annual influenza vaccine for the 2012-2013 influenza season, according to a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
This season, the US influenza vaccine will contain antigens for A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)–like, A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)–like and B/Wisconsin/1/2010–like (Yamagata lineage). The antigens for influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B differ from the antigens found in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 influenza vaccines.
Children aged 6 months to 8 years require two doses of influenza vaccine, administered 4 weeks apart, during their first season of vaccination. Children who received the seasonal trivalent inactivated vaccine before the 2010-2011 season, who did not receive a vaccine with the 2009(H1N1) antigen since then are recommended to receive two doses, even if they received two doses of the seasonal influenza vaccine prior to the 2010-2011 season.
Children aged 6 months to 35 months receive a 0.25 mL dose of trivalent inactivated vaccine and people aged 36 months and older receive a 0.5 mL dose, administered intramuscularly.
The intranasally administered live-attenuated influenza vaccine is indicated for nonpregnant, healthy individuals aged 2 years to 49 years. There is no preference in this age group for a trivalent inactivated vaccine or a live-attenuated influenza vaccine, but people with an egg allergy should receive the trivalent inactivated vaccine.
The FDA approved a quadrivalent live-attenuated influenza vaccine in February 2012 that is expected to be available in the 2013-2014 influenza season. This will replace the currently approved live-attenuated influenza vaccine.
References:
CDC. MMWR. 2012;61:613-618.
Disclosures:
The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.