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Continue to encourage H1N1 vaccine in priority groups
Although the novel H1N1 vaccine remains in limited supply, it has shown good efficacy, with even single 15 mcg doses of vaccine producing immunity in adults, and pediatricians should continue to encourage vaccination in the priority groups, according to a speaker at the Infectious Diseases in Children Symposium held in New York this weekend.
Pedro Piedra, MD, of Baylor College of Medicine, provided an overview of the pandemic influenza during a session here today.
“There has been higher morbidity and mortality in children,” Piedra said, noting that it is important to vaccinate priority groups, including pregnant women; household contacts of children younger than 6 months; a subset of health care workers and emergency services personnel who have direct patient contact or contact with infectious substances; children aged 6 months through 4 years; and children aged 5 to 18 years who have underlying risk factors that put them at risk for complications associated with flu.
He provided an overview of the vaccines that are available for children noting products manufactured by MedImmune LLC, Novartis Vaccines, Diagnostics Limited and Sanofi Pasteur Inc.
He noted the inactivated, monovalent H1N1 vaccine, manufactured by CSL Biotherapies, was previously approved for use in adults aged 18 years and older and it recently received the expanded indication along with the company’s seasonal influenza virus vaccine (Afluria). – by Colleen Zacharyczuk