Recommendations of the Advisory Vaccine Committee
Anti-Flu Vaccination Campaign 2005-2006
 

released 18 November 2005

18 November 2005
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	Recommendations in PDF (80 Kb)

This report updates the recommendations on prevention of the influenza Advisory Vaccine Committee (AVC) performed in 2.004.

Introduction

Influenza produces a high annual morbidity in pediatric population. Children represent the group of age with highest rates of incidence. At the moment the AVC does not advise the systematic vaccination of influenza to healthy children. Previous to this recommendation there will be necessary to make epidemiological studies in our country that value the impact of the influenza disease in children, their role as source of infection for adults at risk, and therefore the efficiency of the systematic vaccination in our area. The AVC recommends performing studies that allow us to know the incidence rates and hospitalization due to its annual epidemic season. However, and based on the existing evidences, the AVC considers that any children older than six months of age can be vaccinated when parents request for it, although with priority of access to the vaccine for the children at risk.
The World Health Organization communicates that influenza vaccine prepared for the 2005-2006 season must be included:

• A/California/7/2004 (H3N2)-like virus

• A/New Caledonia/20/1999 (H1N1)-like virus

• B/Shanghai/361/2002-like virus

Alternatively it can be used for the vaccine elaboration in this season: A/New York/55/2004; B/Jilin/70/2003;y B/Jiangsu/10/2003.

Children at risk.- We consider children at risk those who by their co morbidity pathology, or by their characteristics, constitute a group for which the infection by influenza virus can produce a serious worsening of their pathology.

 

 1. Recommendations

1. Children with chronic diseases:

a. Chronic lung diseases, including asthma.
b. Serious cardiovascular diseases.
c. Neuromuscular diseases that produce a respiratory commitment by himself or by a difficulty of respiratory secretion mobilization.
d. Any statement of weakened immune system
e. Children who receive a long-term treatment with acetylsalicylic acid.

2. Adults who can transmit flu to children who live with them:

a. Pregnant women who are going to give birth during the months of the annual epidemic season (November to March).
b. Relatives and people who live with children of any age, who are fitted in the indications gathered in the fist point.
c. Sanitary Personnel that exerts its work with children in hospitals, private centers of health or doctor's offices.
d. Workers of institutions of children with a physical or a psychic disability
e. Workers of day-care centers.
 

NOTE: Mothers who breast-feed to their children can receive the vaccine.
 

 2- Dosage

3-Administration

intramuscular.

4- Contrainditions:

a.        Egg allergy

b.       Allergy to other vaccine components

c.        Children younger than six months

d.       Children who have suffered Guillain-Barre syndrome

5- References:

-Harper SA, Fukuda K, Uyeki TM, Cox NJ, Bridges CB, for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Prevention and control of influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep 2004;53:1-40.

-Neuzil KM, Mellen BG, Wright PF, Mitchel EF Jr, Griffin MR. The effect of influenza on hospitalizations, outpatient visits, and courses of antibiotics in children. N Engl J Med 2000;342:225-31.

-Izurieta HS, Thompson WW, Kramarz P, et al. Influenza and the rates of hospitalization for respiratory disease among infants and young children. N Engl J Med 2000;342:232-9.

-Neuzil KM, Zhu Y, Griffen MR, et al. Burden of interpandemic influenza in children younger than 5 years: A 25-year prospective study. J Infect Dis 2002;185:147-52.

-American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommendations for influenza immunization of children. Pediatrics 2004;113:1441-7.

-Sharon G. Humiston, Peter G. Szilagyi, Marika K. Iwane, Stanley J. Schaffer, Jeanne Santoli, Laura Shone, Richard Barth, BS Thomas McInerny, Benjamin Schwartz, The Feasibility of Universal Influenza Vaccination for Infants and Toddlers Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004;158:867-874

-Public Health Agency of Canada National Advisory Committee om Immunization (NACI) Statement on influenza vaccination for the 2005-2006 season. CCDR;15 June 2005,Volume 31

-Prevention and Control of Influenza Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) MMWR July 29, 2005 / 54(RR08);1-40

-National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Statement on influenza vaccination for the 2005-2006 season. CCDR 2005;31(ACS-6):1-2

-High levels of clinical influenza activity on the Iberian Peninsula and neighbouring countries. EISS Weekly Electronic Bulletin. Nº136.17/01/2005. En: http://www.eiss.org/cgi-files/bulletinv2.cgi

Attachment

The following ones are the vaccines registered in Spain and authorized by summary product characteristics in children older than 6 months of age:
 

1. Inactivated virus vaccines:

a. Vacuna antigripal fraccionada polivalente  LETI
b. Fluarix® GSK
c. Gripavac® Sanofi Pasteur MSD
d. Vacuna antigripal Pasteur Sanofi Pasteur MSD

2. Subunits virus vaccines:

a. Chiroflu® Esteve
b. Influvac® Solvay Pharma

3. Subunits Virosomic vaccines:

a. Inflexal V®Berna Biotech