This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
ACIP recommends changes to smallpox guidelines
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices unanimously recommended that anyone with possible exposure to orthopoxvirus be evaluated by a health care provider in consultation with public health officials to determine if smallpox vaccination or other post-exposure treatment is necessary.
In addition, ACIP added language to a proposed recommendation for the vaccination of health care personnel: “Health care personnel (eg, physicians and nurses) that currently treat or anticipate treating patients with vaccinia virus infections whose contact with replication-competent vaccinia viruses is limited to contaminated materials (eg, dressings) and persons administering ACAM2000 smallpox vaccine who adhere to appropriate infection prevention measures can be offered vaccination with ACAM2000 (recommendation category: B, evidence type 2),” the recommendation now states.
The ACIP also recommended that participants in the US Civilian Smallpox Preparedness and Response Program should refer to the CDC’s interim guidance on revaccination, which can be found at: http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/revaxmemo.asp.