A rare case of Pneumocystis jirovecii and cytomegalovirus coinfection in the small bowel

Introduction/Objective

Infection with Pneumocystis jirovecii remains a common cause of pneumonia in patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Extrapulmonary manifestations, however, are exceedingly rare. We describe a rare case of coinfection of the small bowel by Pneumocystis jirovecii and cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Methods/Case Report

A 48-year-old female with a history of HIV/AIDS, remote history of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, and previous non-compliance with HAART, presented to the emergency department with right lower quadrant abdominal pain, fever, and chills for 1 week. Her recent medical history included a hospital admission 1 month prior for community-acquired pneumonia with CD4 count and viral load of 12 cells/mcl and >680,000 copies/mL, respectively; upon discharge she restarted HAART. When she presented to the emergency department in our case, she demonstrated leukocytosis (14.3 K/mcl), tachycardia (131 bpm), and hypotension (87/58 mmHg). An abdominal CT scan showed free air with concern for perforated viscus and multi-station lymphadenopathy with gastrohepatic and retrocaval nodes >2 cm. A chest x-ray showed nodular and cavitary lesions, stable from prior imaging. The differential diagnoses in an AIDS patient with a gastrointestinal mass includes Kaposi’s sarcoma, lymphoproliferative process, or infection. The surgeons were concerned for tuberculosis as well, due to the hospital’s patient population, her bulky lymphadenopathy, and immune-compromised status. An exploratory laparotomy was performed and found jejunal perforations, mesenteric lymphadenopathy, and 3L of fluid in the abdomen. Pathology received 4 soft lymph nodes and a 57 cm segment of thickened small bowel with purulent perforation but no discrete mass. Microscopic examination showed a perforating pseudotumor and acute serositis extending to the margins of the specimen. Lymph node flow cytometry was negative for clonal populations. GMS stains highlighted innumerable “crushed-ping-pong-ball”-like fungal forms consistent with Pneumocystis in the jejunum and all 4 lymph nodes. A CMV immunohistochemical stain highlighted infected cells with nuclear enlargement and nuclear inclusions in the jejunum.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

NA

Conclusion

Extrapulmonary Pneumocystis infection is rare but clinicians, pathologists, and microbiologists must keep it in the differential of HIV patients, especially those who are not controlled on antiretroviral therapy.

Enhanced surveillance of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines in pregnancy in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 2011-2015

BACKGROUND

In October 2011, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued updated recommendations that all pregnant women routinely receive a dose of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.

OBJECTIVES

We characterized reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in pregnant women who received Tdap after this updated recommendation (2011-2015) and compared the pattern of adverse events (AEs) with the period before the updated recommendation (2005-2010).

METHODS

We searched the VAERS database for reports of AEs in pregnant women who received Tdap vaccine after the routine recommendation (11/01/2011-6/30/2015) and compared it to published data before the routine Tdap recommendation (01/01/2005-06/30/2010). We conducted clinical review of reports and available medical records. The clinical pattern of reports in the post-recommendation period was compared with the pattern before the routine Tdap recommendation.

RESULTS

We found 392 reports of Tdap vaccination after the routine recommendation. One neonatal death but no maternal deaths were reported. No maternal or neonatal deaths were reported before the recommendation. We observed an increase in proportion of reports for stillbirths (1.5-2.8%) and injection site reactions/arm pain (4.5-11.9%) after the recommendation compared to the period before the routine recommendation for Tdap during pregnancy. We noted a decrease in reports of spontaneous abortion (16.7-1%). After the 2011 Tdap recommendation, in most reports, vaccination (79%) occurred during the third trimester compared to 4% before the 2011 Tdap recommendation. Twenty-six reports of repeat Tdap were received in VAERS; 13 did not report an AE. One medical facility accounted for 27% of all submitted reports.

CONCLUSIONS

No new or unexpected vaccine AEs were noted among pregnant women who received Tdap after routine recommendations for maternal Tdap vaccination. Changes in reporting patterns would be expected, given the broader use of Tdap in pregnant women in the third trimester.

Post-Licensure Surveillance of Trivalent Live-Attenuated Influenza Vaccine in Children Aged 2-18 Years, Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, United States, July 2005-June 2012

BACKGROUND

The first trivalent live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV3) was licensed in 2003 for use in healthy persons 5-49 years of age. In 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration expanded its indication to healthy children 2-4 years of age.

METHODS

We searched the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for US reports after LAIV3 from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2012 in children aged 2-18 years. Medical records were requested for nonmanufacturer reports coded as serious (ie, death, hospitalization, prolonged hospitalization, life-threatening illness, disability). We characterized electronic data and clinically reviewed all serious reports and reports of special interest. Empirical Bayesian data mining was used to identify new or unexpected adverse events (AEs).

RESULTS

During the study period, VAERS received 2619 US LAIV3 reports for children aged 2-18 years; 197 (7.5%) reports were serious, including 5 deaths. The 2 most frequent nonfatal serious reports involved neurological and respiratory systems, with 56 (29.2%) and 43 (22.4%) reports, respectively. The most frequent neurological diagnoses were seizures and Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and the most frequent respiratory conditions were pneumonia and asthma or reactive airway disease. Data mining showed increased proportions for reports of medication errors, most commonly vaccine administration errors not associated with an AE.

CONCLUSIONS

In this VAERS analysis of reports following LAIV3, we found no new or unexpected AEs patterns. Reports of LAIV3 administration to persons, for whom it is not recommended, including children with a history of asthma or reactive airway disease or wheezing, indicate that ongoing monitoring and education in vaccine indications are needed.

Safety of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (Gardasil) in pregnancy: adverse events among non-manufacturer reports in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 2006-2013

BACKGROUND

In 2006, quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV4; Gardasil, Merck & Co., Inc.) vaccine was licensed in the US for use in females aged 9-26 years. HPV4 is not recommended during pregnancy; however, inadvertent administration during pregnancy may occur.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate and summarize reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in pregnant women who received HPV4 vaccine and assess for potentially concerning adverse events among non-manufacturer reports.

METHODS

We searched the VAERS database for non-manufacturer reports of adverse events (AEs) in pregnant women who received HPV4 vaccine from 6/1/2006 to 12/31/2013. We conducted clinical review of reports and available medical records.

RESULTS

We found 147 reports after HPV4 vaccine administered to pregnant women. The most frequent pregnancy-specific AE was spontaneous abortion in 15 (10.2%) reports, followed by elective terminations in 6 (4.1%). Maternal fever was the most frequent non-pregnancy-specific AE in 3 reports. Two reports of major birth defects were received. No maternal deaths were noted. One hundred-three (70.1%) reports did not describe an AE.

CONCLUSIONS

This review of VAERS non-manufacturer reports following vaccination with HPV4 in pregnancy did not find any unexpected patterns in maternal or fetal outcomes.

Reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System after hepatitis A and hepatitis AB vaccines in pregnant women

OBJECTIVE

To characterize adverse events (AEs) after hepatitis A vaccines (Hep A) and hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine (Hep AB) in pregnant women reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a spontaneous reporting surveillance system.

STUDY DESIGN

We searched VAERS for AEs reports in pregnant women who received Hep A or Hep AB from Jan. 1, 1996-April 5, 2013. Clinicians reviewed all reports and available medical records.

RESULTS

VAERS received 139 reports of AEs in pregnant women; 7 (5.0%) were serious; no maternal or infant deaths were identified. Sixty-five (46.8%) did not describe any AEs. For those women whose gestational age was available, most were vaccinated during the first trimester, 50/60 (83.3%) for Hep A and 18/21 (85.7%) for Hep AB. The most common pregnancy-specific outcomes following Hep A or Hep AB vaccinations were spontaneous abortion in 15 (10.8%) reports, elective termination in 10 (7.2%), and preterm delivery in 7 (5.0%) reports. The most common nonpregnancy specific outcome was urinary tract infection and nausea/vomiting with 3 (2.2%) reports each. One case of amelia of the lower extremities was reported in an infant following maternal Hep A immunization.

CONCLUSION

This review of VAERS reports did not identify any concerning pattern of AEs in pregnant women or their infants following maternal Hep A or Hep AB immunizations during pregnancy.

Risk of fever after pediatric trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

IMPORTANCE

An observational study found an increased risk of febrile seizure on the day of or 1 day after vaccination (days 0-1) with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) in the 2010-2011 season; risk was highest with simultaneous vaccination with TIV and 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13) in children who were 6 to 23 months old. Text messaging is a novel method for surveillance of adverse events after immunization that has not been used for hypothesis-driven vaccine safety research.

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively evaluate whether children receiving TIV and PCV13 simultaneously had higher rates of fever on days 0 to 1 than those receiving either product without the other.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Prospective observational cohort study of parents of children 6 to 23 months old recruited from 3 medical center-affiliated clinics in New York City from November 1, 2011, through April 5, 2012. A total of 530 of 614 eligible participants (86.3%) were enrolled. Parents were texted on the night of vaccination (day 0) and the 7 subsequent nights (days 1-7) to report their child's temperature. We used log-binomial regression to calculate adjusted relative risks (aRRs) and excess risk for fever on days 0 to 1, adjusted for age group, past influenza vaccination and simultaneous receipt of selected inactivated vaccines.

EXPOSURES

Receipt of TIV and/or PCV13.

MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S)

Temperature of 38°C or higher on days 0 to 1 after vaccination.

RESULTS

On days 0 to 1, children receiving TIV and PCV13 simultaneously had higher rates (37.6%) of fever (temperature ≥38°C) than those receiving TIV (7.5%; aRR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.30-5.60) or PCV13 (9.5%; aRR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.25-5.66). The excess risk of fever after TIV and PCV13 was 20 and 23 per 100 vaccinations compared with TIV without PCV13 and PCV13 without TIV, respectively. Fever rates for days 2 to 7 were similar across groups. For days 0 to 1, 74.8% of the text messages were confirmed delivered; for another 9.0%, delivery status was unknown. Response rates were 95.1% and 90.9% for days 0 and 1 for confirmed delivered messages, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Simultaneous TIV and PCV13 administration was associated with higher transient increased fever risk than administration of either vaccine without the other product. Text messaging to prospectively assess a specific vaccine adverse event has potential for enhancing prelicensure and postlicensure monitoring of adverse events after immunization and deserves further study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01467934.

Guillain-Barre syndrome, influenza, and influenza vaccination: the epidemiologic evidence

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis worldwide, and is thought to be immune-mediated. It is preceded by upper respiratory or gastrointestinal infection in about two-thirds of cases and is associated with some viral infections, including influenza. GBS has also been associated with the 1976 swine-influenza vaccine. Thereafter, some studies have shown a small increased risk of GBS following receipt of seasonal and 2009 H1N1 monovalent influenza vaccines. Studies over the years have also shown an increased risk of GBS following influenza infection, and the magnitude of risk is several times greater than that following influenza vaccination. Because GBS is rare, and even rarer following vaccination, it is difficult to estimate precise risk. We try to shed light on the complex relationship of GBS and its association with influenza and influenza vaccines over the past 35 years.

Immediate hypersensitivity reactions following monovalent 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccines: reports to VAERS

BACKGROUND

Hypersensitivity disorders following vaccinations are a cause for concern.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the type and rate by age, gender, and vaccine received for reported hypersensitivity reactions following monovalent 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccines.

DESIGN

A systematic review of reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) following monovalent 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccines.

SETTING/PATIENTS

US Civilian reports following vaccine received from October 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010.

MEASUREMENTS

Age, gender, vaccines received, diagnoses, clinical signs, and treatment were reviewed by nurses and physicians with expertise in vaccine adverse events. A panel of experts, including seven allergists reviewed complex illnesses and those with conflicting evidence for classification of the event.

RESULTS

Of 1984 reports, 1286 were consistent with immediate hypersensitivity disorders and 698 were attributed to anxiety reactions, syncope, or other illnesses. The female-to-male ratio was ≥4:1 for persons 20-to-59 years of age, but approximately equal for children under 10. One hundred eleven reports met Brighton Collaboration criteria for anaphylaxis; only one-half received epinephrine for initial therapy. The overall rate of reported hypersensitivity reactions was 10.7 per million vaccine doses distributed, with a 2-fold higher rate for live vaccine.

LIMITATIONS

Underreporting, especially of mild events, would result in an underestimate of the true rate of immediate hypersensitivity reactions. Selective reporting of events in adult females could have resulted in higher rates than reported for males.

CONCLUSIONS

Adult females may be at higher risk of hypersensitivity reactions after influenza vaccination than men. Although the risk of hypersensitivity reactions following 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccines was low, all clinics administering vaccines should be familiar with treatment guidelines for these adverse events, including the use of intramuscular epinephrine early in the course of serious hypersensitivity reactions.

Adverse events after Fluzone ® Intradermal vaccine reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 2011-2013

BACKGROUND

In May 2011, the first trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine exclusively for intradermal administration (TIV-ID) was licensed in the US for adults aged 18-64 years.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize adverse events (AEs) after TIV-ID reported to the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a spontaneous reporting surveillance system.

METHODS

We searched VAERS for US reports after TIV-ID among persons vaccinated from July 1, 2011-February 28, 2013. Medical records were requested for reports coded as serious (death, hospitalization, prolonged hospitalization, disability, life-threatening-illness), and those suggesting anaphylaxis. Clinicians reviewed available information and assigned a primary clinical category to each report. Empirical Bayesian data mining was used to identify disproportional AE reporting following TIV-ID. Causality was not assessed.

RESULTS

VAERS received 466 reports after TIV-ID; 9 (1.9%) were serious, including one reported fatality in an 88-year-old vaccinee. Median age was 43 years (range 4-88 years). The most common AE categories were: 218 (46.8%) injection site reactions; 89 (19.1%) other non-infectious (comprised mainly of constitutional signs and symptoms); and 74 (15.9%) allergy. Eight reports (1.7%) of anaphylaxis were verified by the Brighton criteria or a documented physician diagnosis. Disproportional reporting was identified for three AEs: 'injection site nodule', 'injection site pruritus', and 'drug administered to patient of inappropriate age'. The findings for the first two AEs were expected. Twenty-four reports of vaccinees <18 years or ≥ 65 years were reported, and 14 of 24 were coded with the AE 'drug administered to patient of inappropriate age'.

CONCLUSIONS

Review of VAERS reports did not identify any new or unexpected safety concerns after TIV-ID. Injection site reactions were the most commonly reported AEs, similar to the pre-licensure clinical trials. Use of TIV-ID in younger and older individuals outside the approved age range highlights the need for education of healthcare providers regarding approved TIV-ID use.

Safety of meningococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine in pregnancy: a review of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System

OBJECTIVE

We characterized reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event (AE) Reporting System (VAERS) of pregnant women who received meningococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine Menactra (MenACWY-D; Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Swiftwater, PA).

STUDY DESIGN

We searched VAERS for reports of pregnant women who received MenACWY-D from Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2011. We conducted clinical review of reports and available medical records.

RESULTS

Of 103 identified reports, 38 (36.7%) did not describe any AE. No maternal or infant deaths were reported. The most frequent pregnancy-specific AE was spontaneous abortion in 17 (16.5%) reports. Urinary tract infections and fever with vomiting were the most frequent nonpregnancy-specific AEs found in 4 (3.9%) and 3 (2.9%) reports, respectively. We identified 1 report with a major congenital anomaly (aqueductal stenosis and severe ventriculomegaly).

CONCLUSION

Our comprehensive review of reports to VAERS in pregnant women after MenACWY-D did not identify any concerning patterns in maternal, infant, or fetal outcomes.

Safety of seasonal influenza and influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccines in pregnancy

Inactivated influenza vaccines have been given to pregnant women since 1964. Since 2004, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended that pregnant women receive trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine at any time during pregnancy. Studies conducted before 2009 did not identify any safety concerns after trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in mothers or their infants. During the 2009-2010 influenza A (H1N1) influenza vaccination program, several monitoring systems were established or enhanced to assess whether adverse events were associated with H1N1 2009 monovalent vaccines (2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines). Data from these systems did not identify any safety concerns in pregnant women who received 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines or their infants. Although live attenuated influenza vaccines are not recommended in pregnant women, a small number of studies have not shown any safety concern among pregnant women or their infants who were inadvertently exposed to these vaccines. This review summarizes US and international safety data for influenza vaccines in pregnant women with an emphasis on 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines.

Adverse events following administration to pregnant women of influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to evaluate and summarize reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a spontaneous reporting system, in pregnant women who received influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine to assess for potential vaccine safety problems.

STUDY DESIGN

We reviewed reports of adverse events (AEs) in pregnant women who received 2009-H1N1 vaccines from Oct. 1, 2009, through Feb. 28, 2010.

RESULTS

VAERS received 294 reports of AEs in pregnant women who received 2009-H1N1 vaccine: 288 after inactivated and 6 after the live attenuated vaccines. Two maternal deaths were reported. Fifty-nine women (20.1%) were hospitalized. We verified 131 pregnancy-specific outcomes: 95 spontaneous abortions (<20 weeks); 18 stillbirths (≥20 weeks); 7 preterm deliveries (<37 weeks); 3 threatened abortions; 2 preterm labor; 2 preeclampsia; and 1 each of fetal hydronephrosis, fetal tachycardia, intrauterine growth retardation, and cleft lip.

CONCLUSION

Review of reports to VAERS following H1N1 vaccination in pregnant women did not identify any concerning patterns of maternal or fetal outcomes.

Adverse events in pregnant women following administration of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine and live attenuated influenza vaccine in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 1990-2009

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to characterize reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in pregnant women who received seasonal influenza vaccines to assess for potential vaccine safety concerns.

STUDY DESIGN

We searched VAERS for reports of adverse events (AEs) in pregnant women who received trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) from July 1, 1990 through June 30, 2009, or live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) from July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2009.

RESULTS

A total of 148 reports after TIV and 27 reports after LAIV were identified. Twenty TIV (13.5%) and 1 LAIV (4%) reports were classified as serious. No specific AEs were reported in 30 TIV (20.3%) and 16 LAIV (59%) reports. The most common pregnancy-specific AE was spontaneous abortion: 17 after TIV (11.5%) and 3 after LAIV (11%). The reporting rate of spontaneous abortion was 1.9 per million pregnant women vaccinated.

CONCLUSION

No unusual patterns of pregnancy complications or fetal outcomes were observed in the VAERS reports of pregnant women after the administration of TIV or LAIV.

Prevention and control of influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2010

This report updates the 2009 recommendations by CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the use of influenza vaccine for the prevention and control of influenza (CDC. Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices [ACIP]. MMWR 2009;58[No. RR-8] and CDC. Use of influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine---recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices [ACIP], 2009. MMWR 2009;58:[No. RR-10]). The 2010 influenza recommendations include new and updated information. Highlights of the 2010 recommendations include 1) a recommendation that annual vaccination be administered to all persons aged >or=6 months for the 2010-11 influenza season; 2) a recommendation that children aged 6 months--8 years whose vaccination status is unknown or who have never received seasonal influenza vaccine before (or who received seasonal vaccine for the first time in 2009-10 but received only 1 dose in their first year of vaccination) as well as children who did not receive at least 1 dose of an influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine regardless of previous influenza vaccine history should receive 2 doses of a 2010-11 seasonal influenza vaccine (minimum interval: 4 weeks) during the 2010--11 season; 3) a recommendation that vaccines containing the 2010-11 trivalent vaccine virus strains A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like (the same strain as was used for 2009 H1N1 monovalent vaccines), A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like, and B/Brisbane/60/2008-like antigens be used; 4) information about Fluzone High-Dose, a newly approved vaccine for persons aged >or=65 years; and 5) information about other standard-dose newly approved influenza vaccines and previously approved vaccines with expanded age indications. Vaccination efforts should begin as soon as the 2010-11 seasonal influenza vaccine is available and continue through the influenza season. These recommendations also include a summary of safety data for U.S.-licensed influenza vaccines. These recommendations and other information are available at CDC's influenza website (http://www.cdc.gov/flu); any updates or supplements that might be required during the 2010-11 influenza season also will be available at this website. Recommendations for influenza diagnosis and antiviral use will be published before the start of the 2010-11 influenza season. Vaccination and health-care providers should be alert to announcements of recommendation updates and should check the CDC influenza website periodically for additional information.

Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2009

This report updates the 2008 recommendations by CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the use of influenza vaccine for the prevention and control of seasonal influenza (CDC. Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices [ACIP]. MMWR 2008;57[No. RR-7]). Information on vaccination issues related to the recently identified novel influenza A H1N1 virus will be published later in 2009. The 2009 seasonal influenza recommendations include new and updated information. Highlights of the 2009 recommendations include 1) a recommendation that annual vaccination be administered to all children aged 6 months-18 years for the 2009-10 influenza season; 2) a recommendation that vaccines containing the 2009-10 trivalent vaccine virus strains A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like, A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like, and B/Brisbane/60/2008-like antigens be used; and 3) a notice that recommendations for influenza diagnosis and antiviral use will be published before the start of the 2009-10 influenza season. Vaccination efforts should begin as soon as vaccine is available and continue through the influenza season. Approximately 83% of the United States population is specifically recommended for annual vaccination against seasonal influenza; however, <40% of the U.S. population received the 2008-09 influenza vaccine. These recommendations also include a summary of safety data for U.S. licensed influenza vaccines. These recommendations and other information are available at CDC's influenza website (http://www.cdc.gov/flu); any updates or supplements that might be required during the 2009-10 influenza season also can be found at this website. Vaccination and health-care providers should be alert to announcements of recommendation updates and should check the CDC influenza website periodically for additional information.

Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2008

This report updates the 2007 recommendations by CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the use of influenza vaccine and antiviral agents (CDC. Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices [ACIP]. MMWR 2007;56[No. RR-6]). The 2008 recommendations include new and updated information. Principal updates and changes include 1) a new recommendation that annual vaccination be administered to all children aged 5--18 years, beginning in the 2008--09 influenza season, if feasible, but no later than the 2009--10 influenza season; 2) a recommendation that annual vaccination of all children aged 6 months through 4 years (59 months) continue to be a primary focus of vaccination efforts because these children are at higher risk for influenza complications compared with older children; 3) a new recommendation that either trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine or live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) be used when vaccinating healthy persons aged 2 through 49 years (the previous recommendation was to administer LAIV to person aged 5--49 years); 4) a recommendation that vaccines containing the 2008--09 trivalent vaccine virus strains A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like, A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like, and B/Florida/4/2006-like antigens be used; and, 5) new information on antiviral resistance among influenza viruses in the United States. Persons for whom vaccination is recommended are listed in boxes 1 and 2. These recommendations also include a summary of safety data for U.S. licensed influenza vaccines. This report and other information are available at CDC's influenza website (http://www.cdc.gov/flu), including any updates or supplements to these recommendations that might be required during the 2008--09 influenza season. Vaccination and health-care providers should be alert to announcements of recommendation updates and should check the CDC influenza website periodically for additional information.

Pediatricians' adherence to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine shortage recommendations in 2 national shortages

OBJECTIVES

The goals were (1) to compare pediatricians' heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine shortage experience and adherence to shortage recommendations during 2 heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine shortages, (2) to assess factors associated with nonadherence to second shortage recommendations, and (3) to assess opinions about national immunization policy during vaccine shortages.

METHODS

We mailed surveys to all pediatrician immunization providers in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, metropolitan area. We assessed heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine supply and immunization practices during the shortages and provider attitudes regarding immunization shortage policy.

RESULTS

The response rate was 61% (171 of 282 providers). Most pediatricians experienced heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine shortages (first shortage: 86%; second shortage: 84%). The rate of adherence to recommendations to defer the fourth heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine dose for healthy children was significantly higher during the second shortage, compared with the first shortage (first shortage: 62%; second shortage: 89%). Adherence to recommendations to administer the fourth dose to high-risk children remained unchanged (first shortage: 43%; second shortage: 45%). Controlling for other factors, pediatricians who reported a severe second shortage had greater odds of not fully vaccinating high-risk children, compared with those who reported no shortage. Contrary to recommendations, many pediatricians did not maintain tracking systems during the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine shortages (first shortage: 37%; second shortage: 46%). Most pediatricians (91%) thought that national vaccine shortage recommendations were needed to protect them from liability.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of adherence to recommendations to defer heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine doses for healthy children increased significantly from the first shortage to the second shortage. The nonadherent practice of deferring the fourth dose for high-risk children was associated with more severe shortages and, potentially, an inability to vaccinate.

Risk of bacterial meningitis in children with cochlear implants

BACKGROUND

In June 2002, the Food and Drug Administration received reports of bacterial meningitis in patients with cochlear implants for treatment of hearing loss. Implants that included a positioner (a wedge inserted next to the implanted electrode to facilitate transmission of the electrical signal by pushing the electrode against the medial wall of the cochlea) were voluntarily recalled in the United States in July 2002.

METHODS

We identified patients with meningitis and conducted a cohort study and a nested case-control investigation involving 4264 children who had received cochlear implants in the United States between January 1, 1997, and August 6, 2002, and who were less than six years of age when they received the implants. We calculated the incidence of meningitis in the cohort and assessed risk factors for meningitis among patients and among 199 controls, using data from interviews with parents and abstracted from medical records.

RESULTS

We identified 26 children with bacterial meningitis. The incidence of meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae was 138.2 cases per 100,000 person-years--more than 30 times the incidence in a cohort of the same age in the general U.S. population. Postimplantation bacterial meningitis was strongly associated with the use of an implant with a positioner (odds ratio, 4.5 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.3 to 17.9], with adjustment for medical, surgical, and environmental factors) and with the joint presence of radiographic evidence of a malformation of the inner ear and a cerebrospinal fluid leak (adjusted odds ratio, 9.3 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.2 to 94.5]). The incidence of meningitis among patients who had received an implant with a positioner remained higher than the incidence among those whose implants did not have a positioner for the duration of follow-up (24 months from the time of implantation).

CONCLUSIONS

Parents and health care providers should ensure that all children who receive cochlear implants are appropriately vaccinated and are then monitored and treated promptly for any bacterial infections after receiving the implant.

Elevated ambulatory blood pressure in 20 subjects with Williams syndrome

Previous studies report conflicting frequencies of hypertension in cohorts of patients with Williams syndrome (WS). We studied blood pressure (BP) in WS using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. This technique reliably measures day- and nighttime BP in a subject's natural environment and provides better prognostic information on long-term risks of hypertension than casual BP determinations. Twenty WS subjects evaluated through a multidisciplinary WS clinic and 35 age and gender-matched controls were studied. We found that WS subjects had significantly higher ambulatory BP than controls. After controlling for age, sex, and weight, the diagnosis of WS added approximately 10 mmHg to mean daytime and nighttime BPs. Hypertension, as defined by elevated mean daytime BP, was present in 40% of WS subjects versus 14% of controls (P < 0.05); among the children studied this difference was even more dramatic with 46% of WS children versus 6% of control children classified as hypertensive (P = 0.01). We also demonstrated normal diurnal BP variation but no evidence of a "white coat" effect or increased BP variability. Interestingly, parental reporting of a history of infantile hypercalcemia was strongly associated with the presence of hypertension (P = 0.008). Our data demonstrate that both children and adults with WS have higher mean BP and higher frequency of hypertension than healthy controls. Thus, elevated BP readings in the office setting should not be dismissed but require more thorough assessment.